Russian man pushes humanoid robot, it fights back in Terminator-style moment

A humanoid robot in a Russian electronics shop appeared to fight back after a customer pushed it. The viral clip sparked Terminator jokes and doubts over whether the scene was genuine.A video showing a humanoid robot trying to kick a customer in Russia is viral. (Photos: Instagram/@volgastore64)A humanoid robot appeared to lose its cool after a customer pushed it at a Russian electronics store. The footage has gone viral, with viewers joking that the Skynet era from the movie The Terminator has begun.CCTV footage from an electronics store in Russia’s Saratov, showed a man walking up to a humanoid robot named Syoma. He then pushed the machine. Within seconds, the robot responded by moving one leg towards the man, attempting to kick him.The bizarre reaction caught people nearby off guard. As the robot continued moving, the situation appeared to get more chaotic, before the machine was eventually powered down.The clip was later shared on X with a tongue-in-cheek caption claiming that Syoma, described as a “tech consultant”, had “lost control” and tried to attack a customer. The caption added that the robot was undergoing an “emotional reboot”, while the customer escaped with a fright and “possibly a new iPhone”. Watch the video here:The video has since amused social media users, although some questioned whether the robot was actually acting autonomously or could have been remotely controlled. Naturally, the incident also revived comparisons with The Terminator, particularly its fictional artificial intelligence system, Skynet, which turns against humanity and triggers a catastrophic war between humans and machines.“Human ego even drove the robots mad,” one user joked.Another took the Terminator reference in a more absurd direction, writing: “Don’t you have a rolling pin to whack him with so his head flies off, you robot? Whose robot are you, anyway, robot?”Whether Syoma was genuinely reacting to the shove or simply following a programmed or remotely controlled movement remains unclear. But for a few seconds, an ordinary electronics store appeared to offer customers a glimpse of a very different future, one where you might want to think twice before pushing the merchandise.- EndsPublished By: Srimoyee ChowdhuryPublished On: Sep 3, 2026 13:10 IST