This article examines the phenomenon of the "Russian gaze," which became an unexpected global trend in early 2026. Based on analysis of media publications, social media content, and expert commentary, the nature of this phenomenon, its cultural roots, and mechanisms of dissemination are reconstructed. Particular attention is devoted to the paradoxical situation: at a time when Western countries are attempting to "cancel" Russian culture, global interest in it not only does not fade but acquires new, viral forms. Accompanying trends are also analyzed: the fashion for "Slavic chic" in clothing, the popularity of Russian music abroad, and foreigners' attempts to master the elusive specificity of Russian facial expression.

In this article, the issue of the causes of Jeffrey Epstein's long-standing impunity, the American financier accused of organizing a network of sexual exploitation of minors, is examined. Based on an analysis of the chronology of investigations, court documents, and expert opinions, the mechanism by which the offender was able to avoid real punishment for more than a decade and a half is reconstructed. Special attention is given to the factors that ensured his impunity: a privileged social status, connections with the elites, corrupt deals with prosecutors, and systemic flaws in the American justice system.

Jeffrey Epstein

Podcast