Kenneth Glad
Amid the war in Ukraine, some corners of Russia’s media landscape are taking an unexpected turn.
A recent tabloid feature has drawn attention for blending supernatural claims with stark geopolitical warnings.
According to The Moscow Times, the pro-Kremlin tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda published what it described as an “unchristian” interview with a clairvoyant who claimed to have contacted the late Vladimir Zhirinovsky.
Zhirinovsky, a nationalist politician known for his provocative rhetoric, died in 2022. Yet his speeches still circulate widely online, often revisited by supporters who view them as unusually foresighted.
Media, myth and messaging
Instead of a standard political interview, the article described a ritual.
Clairvoyant Anna Pechuyeva and her assistant said they attempted to summon Zhirinovsky’s spirit by burning a banknote.
What followed, according to The Moscow Times, was presented by the tabloid as if the late politician were speaking again, this time about current global tensions.
That framing stands out, folding mysticism into political commentary in a way rarely seen in mainstream reporting.
What the tabloid claims
The claims attributed to the “spirit” were wide-ranging and often dramatic. They included the idea of a possible Russia-Ukraine arrangement later this year, even as fighting could drag on for years.
Other statements pointed to upheaval beyond the region. The account, according to HotNews.ro, described scenarios involving shifts in U.S. power and global instability, using language presented as direct quotations.
Pechuyeva also relayed a warning about Donald Trump: “He says Trump will not remain in power for long. There will be an attempt on his life, carried out by someone close to him, a retired high-ranking military officer. The attacker is already preparing.”
At the same time, she quoted the “spirit” as dismissing the possibility of a wider global war tied to Ukraine: “Everything has been decided long ago. They just aren’t telling the people anything yet.”
From Ukraine to the Middle East
The tone turned sharper when the focus shifted beyond Eastern Europe. The tabloid account outlined a far more severe scenario in the Middle East, including potential nuclear escalation and large-scale displacement.
Then came a strikingly practical note. Amid warnings of conflict, the message attributed to Zhirinovsky urged Russians to grow their own food. “You will need them,” Pechuyeva said.
The Moscow Times has linked such stories to a broader revival of occult themes since the invasion of Ukraine, though how widespread this trend is remains unclear.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly dismissed such practices, calling occultism “nonsense” and warning that it distorts reality.
Placed side by side, the official rejection and the tabloid’s publication underscore a peculiar contrast: even as authorities denounce such ideas, they continue to surface in widely read outlets.
Sources: HotNews.ro, The Moscow Times, Komsomolskaya Pravda
