Twitter restores Putin parody account after initial suspension

Twitter has been criticized for bowing to pressure after it temporarily suspended a popular parody account that pokes fun at Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Online critics have risen in anger on Twitter in recent days after they found themselves devoid of satirical humor after the account @DarthPutinKGB was suspended.

Four other Russian-themed parody accounts, including @SovietSergey, a satirical account of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and @AmbYakovenkoNot, which mocks the Russian ambassador to Britain, Alexander Yakovenko.

All of the suspended accounts, including @SovietSergey, were reinstated by Thursday morning. But @DarthPutinKGB's suspension in particular provoked responses from Twitter users, who took to Twitter using the hashtag, #NoGulagforDarthPutinKGB.