Denis Chuzhoy (real name Denis Alesín, born 23 July 1988 in Zheleznogorsk, Kursk region) is a Russian stand-up comedian, screenwriter and YouTuber who built his following entirely online, without television backing. After publicly condemning the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 he left Russia and now lives in Spain, touring Europe and the US also under the English stage name Dan the Stranger. In November 2024 the Russian Ministry of Justice added him to its register of so-called foreign agents.
A new stand-up by Denis Chuzhoy titled Football-Manager was released on YouTube (December 2025).
A Russian court fined Chuzhoy in absentia for activities related to the status of a foreign agent.
The Russian Ministry of Justice registered Chuzhoy (Alesin) in the foreign agents registry.
Chuzhoy lectured at the Fletcher School of Tufts University about freedom of speech and comedy in exile (October 2024).
Chuzhoy described in The Moscow Times podcast how he is building a stand-up comedy career abroad after leaving Russia.
