Russian propagandists have seized on the January 30 release of Epstein-related documents by the U.S. Department of Justice, reviving a narrative of President Vladimir Putin as a defender of Christian values against what they describe as the "decadent West."
Leading Kremlin media personality Vladimir Solovyov shared a past interview with Putin on Telegram, in which the Russian leader referred to Western elites as a “vampire ball,” accusing them of being addicted to power and wealth “at the expense of others.” Pro-Russian social media accounts have circulated the video widely.
“The Kremlin uses this to depict Russia as a conservative bulwark,” said Professor Roman Baecker of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. “But this façade doesn’t reflect Russian reality.”
Religious framing is also being echoed by the Russian Orthodox Church. Patriarch Kirill continues to portray Putin as a “deeply faithful” man who is persecuted for defending Christian values, said Andrzej Szabaciuk of the Institute of Central Europe.
Despite this rhetoric, Russia’s own connection to the Epstein scandal is not absent from the released files. According to the independent Russian outlet Meduza, Epstein documents contain over a thousand references to Putin. One FBI report from 2017 cites a source claiming Epstein managed secret financial assets on Putin’s behalf.
The files also mention Russian business figures and models. Maria Drokova, formerly affiliated with the pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi, proposed branding strategies to Epstein and allegedly sent him nude photos. Russian businessman Vladislav Doronin reportedly invited Epstein to Moscow and assisted with visa arrangements. Perhaps most notably, Meduza reports the trafficking of young women from Russian cities—including Samara, Saratov, and Omsk—to Epstein’s island.
One 2018 email referenced a modeling agency in Krasnodar named Shtorm. Though its founder denied connections with Epstein, Szabaciuk suggested that Russian intelligence may have used the agency to access Western elites. “It may only be speculation, but it’s suspicious,” he said.
The publication of the Epstein documents also triggered a surge in pro-Kremlin narratives aimed at Western audiences. These include references to Russia’s 2024 “shared values” visa program, which grants three-year residence to Westerners who claim to be persecuted for conservative beliefs. Russian media reported 1,500 applicants in July 2025 alone, mostly from Germany.
Szabaciuk warned the propaganda was finding traction among Western conservatives. “Unfortunately, it works—especially with groups unaware of how Russia actually operates,” he said.
At home, however, the Kremlin’s moral messaging has limited resonance. “Russians know how their elites live,” said Baecker, referencing the 2017 Navalny documentary He Is Not Dimon to You, which exposed the lavish lifestyle of former president Dmitry Medvedev.
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Source: PAP