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follow Susanin

To be led into a disastrous, hopeless place or situation; to follow someone who (intentionally or unknowingly) leads to collapse, defeat, or dire consequences.

It originates from folk legend and works of art (M. I. Glinka's opera "A Life for the Tsar") about the Kostroma peasant Ivan Susanin from the early 17th century. According to legend, during the Time of Troubles, he agreed to serve as a guide for Polish-Lithuanian invader troops searching for the young Tsar Mikhail Romanov, and deliberately led them into a dense, impenetrable forest, where they perished.
To trust this swindler is like to follow Susanin: you'll end up penniless and in debt.
by Filename99 December 26, 2025
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