The Kashpirovsky Effect 2.0: How Russia Is Trying to “Talk Its Way Out” of Defeats on the Front Lines
30 April 20:39
Russian propaganda is changing tactics. As the actual economic figures and the situation on the battlefield grow increasingly dire for the Kremlin, esotericists, tarot readers, and astrologers are stepping in to help. Today, instead of reports from the General Staff, Russian viewers are increasingly seeing psychics and “hereditary prophets” on their TV screens. This is no coincidence and not mere entertainment—it is a new survival strategy for the regime, where magic becomes the dictatorship’s last line of defense.
Why has the Kremlin replaced analytics with Tarot cards and astrology? What role do “elixirs of longevity” and shamans play in Putin’s personal life? Why are the occupiers calculating a “satanic” number of missiles for shelling Ukraine?
Esotericism as a smokescreen
According to OpenMinds analysts, a dangerous trend is emerging in the Russian information space: instead of traditional propaganda, people are increasingly being fed “prophecies” and astrological forecasts. Igor Chalenko, head of the Center for Analysis and Strategy, commented
“The logic is to circumvent reality. And the facts are grim for Russia: the economy is slumping, and progress on the front lines is unsatisfactory. The magical niche needs to be activated so that people perceive the war as ‘divine providence’ rather than the result of leadership mistakes,” Chalenko notes.
Chalenko draws a parallel with the collapse of the USSR: in the late 1980s and early 1990s, society was also in disarray, which led to a mass fascination with TV astrologers and “healers.” Today, the Kremlin uses this as a tool of psychological control when there are simply no rational arguments left to justify the war.
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Putin and the “elixir of longevity”
The political scientist emphasizes that fascination with magic is not just entertainment for the Russian elite, but a symptom of their detachment from reality.
“Putin has constantly brought up this topic regarding various shamans. It’s generally a very explosive mix of supposed religious devotion, Orthodoxy, and at the same time—various occult practices. This simply attests to a certain similarity between the leaders of autocracies and dictators,” comments Ihor Chalenko.
According to the expert, fear of the future compels the Kremlin leader to seek refuge in pseudoscience and mysticism:
“The man obviously has certain ‘quirks.’ He understands that there is a biological clock ticking away, one that cannot be turned back. That is why various occult practices are employed, which also influence his entourage. Moreover, we see that research into the ‘elixir of longevity’ or other similar endeavors is being funded,” says Ihor Chalenko.
Chalenko considers the mathematical “magic” of Russian shelling to be the most telling example of how mysticism intertwines with war:
“One interesting detail comes to mind: during one of the recent massive shelling campaigns, the Russians launched exactly 666 munitions. This shows that they are trying to act from the perspective of psychological impact, not just physical destruction. This points to a distorted intuition—just like the very start of the large-scale war in 2022,” Chalenko concludes.
Thus, such an appeal to the irrational is a sign of a systemic crisis. When a state begins to appeal to “stars” and “providence” instead of economic indicators or strategic victories, it indicates the complete degradation of the political elite.
For Putin, the occult has become both a personal sedative and a weapon of mass destruction against his own people. However, as history shows, no shamans or “magic numbers” can stop the biological clock or avert defeat when reality finally prevails over illusions. Russian society, which is being plunged into a trance today, is inevitably headed for a harsh hangover, just as it was after Kashpirovsky’s sessions on the ruins of the Soviet empire.
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