New "Rasputin": How Long Before We See One in Today's Russia?

The article examines the correlation between Russia's social mood, as measured by the Russian Trading System (RTS) Index, and its recent geopolitical aggression, particularly the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It highlights socionomic forecasts made prior to the invasion that predicted escalating conflict based on negative social mood indicators reflected in the RTS Index. The piece also explores a concurrent rise in interest in mysticism and occult practices among Russians during periods of social turmoil, drawing parallels to historical figures like Grigori Rasputin and Anatoly Kashpirovsky, who gained influence during past crises. This resurgence of "magical thinking" is framed as a sociological response to societal stress, with the article suggesting that such conditions may eventually foster the emergence of a new Rasputin-like figure in contemporary Russia.