Transcript-based article from the program Scars and Sequins on Radio Voice of Berlin. The guest is journalist and Telegram channel author Bozhena Rynska. The program marked its first anniversary.

Military-Dictatorship Glamour

Rynska described the current Russian social scene as "military-dictatorship glamour." She said the trend has taken a new form compared with the period when she and the host worked in the industry. In her view, the people now presented as socialites lack public standing. She called many of them "non-contributing" figures with no creative output.

She contrasted them with earlier socialites. She named Spivakov, Renata Litvinova, Sati Spivakova, and directors as figures of the earlier era. She also cited Obolentseva, who is now married to Shvedler. In her account, the only remaining figure from the older generation of socialites is Snezhana Georgieva.

Rynska discussed Shelyagova, who she said entered social circles about seven or eight years ago. She stated that Shelyagova was still unknown in 2016. She described Shelyagova as a socialite who started late and is "very vulgar," comparing her to Irina Allegrova. Rynska said her husband is an undertaker and that the business is "insanely profitable." She stated that the couple's social activity is funded by the war economy. She also said she did not know Shelyagova personally.

Rynska also mentioned Yura Chadina, the wife of a man she described as involved in the special military operation. She said she does not follow that social circle. She said she had tried to distance herself from the topic and that she follows Russian social news only occasionally.

Rynska's Position on Beneficiaries of the War

Rynska argued that socializing with people who profit from the war is unacceptable. She said such behavior is "indecent" and "wrong," even if the individuals may be personally pleasant.

Vitaly Borodin and the Public Dispute

The Public Rebuffs

The participants described a public dispute involving Vitaly Borodin. Timati publicly told Borodin to leave him alone. Borodin subsequently pursued legal action against Timati. Rynska said Lukashenko also rebuffed Borodin publicly. She noted that Borodin's Telegram posts drew mass criticism, and that he deleted comments but left them open. She reported that a phrase telling him to "go away" appeared in the comments at short intervals.

Rynska described Borodin as an informant. She said he is widely disliked across political groups, including supporters of the government, neutral observers, and opposition figures. She said Borodin had posted that the rapper Nali's song "Jaguar Baby" glorified the foreign auto industry and showed disrespect to women. Rynska said the critique used pompous language and that it was written in the parody style of a Soviet editorial in the newspaper Narymsky Pervoprokhodets.

Rynska's Assessment

Rynska presented several opinions about Borodin. She stated that these were her personal views, not accusations:

• She suspected Borodin acts as a "fixer" with the Prosecutor's Office, not the FSB.
• She argued that Borodin has no chance of winning in court. She said he lost a lawsuit against Kozlovsky, who she said beat him for a ruble.
• She stated that courts are controlled by Directorate M. She said that, in political cases, the decision is made by Directorate M. Based on the absence of a political decision in the Kozlovsky case, she concluded that Borodin lacks access to the FSB. She said he does have access to the Prosecutor's Office.
• She described violations of procedure in complaints Borodin files with the Prosecutor's Office, including missed deadlines. She said such complaints still succeed because Borodin wrote them.
• She said Borodin wrote a complaint against her. She said her lawyer was shown materials from the Prosecutor's Office in connection with it. She added that Borodin had written about her earlier, half a year before.
• She named Alexey Chepa, a member of the Federation Council, as a person who helped Borodin in the Prosecutor's Office. She suggested a financial link between them.
• She questioned how Borodin could afford a Maybach and a fur coat for his wife, given his employment as a courier. She said a courier could buy a fur coat with hard work but could not earn a Maybach.

Rynska said Borodin seeks media attention to secure funding. She said he is mentioned mainly in connection with Pugacheva and Timati. She suggested he filed a suit against Pugacheva knowing he would not win, and that the lawsuit's purpose was to keep his name in the news. She said the word "snitch" is an evaluative judgment and that it is easily provable. She said Borodin believes that being mentioned alongside celebrities gives him status.

The host and Rynska agreed that Borodin's conflict with Timati drew attention across the social media sector. The host said the response united socialite Telegram channels, including those that usually avoid politics, such as Anti-Gloss and the Tatler circle.

Informing and Historical Precedent

Rynska described the phenomenon of informing as a serious problem. She said it has become a trend in Russia. She cited Lukashenko's remarks that an epidemic of "social activists" had begun in Russia and that informants would be given work if such behavior continued.

Rynska attributed to Denis Dragunsky a view that there was no lustration of informants in Russia, and that the KGB archives were never fully opened. She said that the absence of accountability had a damaging effect on the country.

She also recounted the case of Yakov Lerner, whom she described as a Jewish man involved in shady dealings. According to her, Lerner obtained apartments and foreign cars, defrauded people who paid for non-existent cooperatives, and presented himself as a "people's volunteer." She said he wrote a denunciation of Brodsky. She said it was published in Vecherniy Leningrad and that it became a smear piece. She described the denunciation as anti-Semitic. She said Lerner was later imprisoned for his dealings in cars and apartments.

Rynska said that at Lerner's trial, the art critic Gerasimov shouted from the back row: "Brodsky is in Michigan, Lerner is in Magadan."

Social Life of Relocated Russians

Events in Venice, Cannes, and Riga

Rynska said real social life currently takes place in Venice and Cannes. She said expatriates are developing cultural projects. She described this expatriate social life as authentic because it is linked to concrete creative work.

She cited the phrase "pain seeks a language" as the basis for this activity. She also cited the phrase "War is a time of new opportunities." She stated that the phrase is cynical, and that war creates profit for some but a creative impulse for others.

Rynska described a party given by director Zvyagintsev in Cannes. She said she was invited by the director and that the event had a clear rule: guests who were "non-binary" or undecided were not admitted. She said two young women checked the guest lists at the security entrance. She said her usual guests were not admitted.

Rynska said that at Ilya Khrzhanovsky's events in Venice after DAU, the atmosphere was more relaxed, and that Katya Tsituridze attended. She said Ksenia Sobchak was invited but avoided the same company, and that Sobchak did not appear in photographs with relocated Russians. Rynska said she saw Sobchak in Salzburg a year earlier at the premiere of Serebrennikov's The Blizzard, where many relocated Russians were present, including vocal anti-war figures.

Rynska also described a party in Riga, during the Artdocfest film festival at Mansky's events. She said Kossakovsky and Zvyagintsev attended.

The host and Rynska discussed the coverage of socialite events. Rynska said the Russian social press continues to cover Kirill's events because there are few other figures to report on. She described the names in those reports as unfamiliar.

A Personal Recollection

Rynska recounted an episode from the Riga event. A former admirer from 25 years earlier told her he had been in love with her. She said she had been unaware of his feelings. She said the man told her he had been taught how to treat women by a remark she made on a staircase. He said he later decided not to pursue a serious relationship with her, and that he later believed she had star quality. Rynska said they had a relationship for about half a year, which ended.

Social Columns: Then and Now

Rynska compared the present with earlier periods. She said the social column was more creative in the 2010s, and earlier still in 2002, when writers covered socialites in print. She named Fedya Pavlov-Andreevich, Svetlana Konagen, and Aidan Salakhova, whom she described as a pioneer of the social column. She named Bondarchuk, Vertinsky, Polonsky, and Art Pictures as central figures of that period. She said these figures included conductors, actresses, and designers with real professional work.

The St. Petersburg Forum and Alfa-Bank

Rynska said Alfa-Bank hosted a caviar and champagne party at the St. Petersburg Forum two years earlier. She said the party drew many guests. Leningrad did not perform because the band is in conflict with St. Petersburg governor Beglov, so Shnur did not appear. Leps performed. Rynska said that a public scandal followed the party in a war year. She said that in the following year, Alfa did not post about its party on Instagram. She said the party was held for charity.

The Telegram Bloggers and Private Parties

Rynska said Telegram bloggers now appear to be the only figures willing to be publicly associated with parties. She said other social events occur in private, in a highly secretive setting.

Glossy Magazines

Rynska described a rise in glossy magazines in Russia. She said they appear about once a month, and that none are profitable. She said they are likely funded by private sponsors, paid-for women seeking status, or Potupchik. She also named Moskvichka, Saty Ogorod, and a magazine called Saty Ogorod, which she described as a very Russian name.

Rynska compared these publications with earlier titles:

• Flowers, Cats, and You (Tsvety, koshki i ty): Rynska said it was the most popular magazine sold in commuter trains 26 years earlier, in St. Petersburg. She said she would subscribe to it now, specifically for the cats.
• Domovoy: She said it had quality content in 1994. She said her husband produced it at that time.
• Mezzanine: She described it as a strong magazine edited by Natasha Barbier, and said she collected its issues.
• Tatler and Vogue: She cited them as the standard for layout and design.

Rynska stated that Moskvichka has poor layout and weak writing. She said its texts are outdated and resemble material from 1994. She said the editorial work appears to lack professional skill. She said the publication has a pretentious style and that its writers are untalented.

The host noted that Chtivo, edited by Minaev, publishes material on writers and pre-revolutionary Moscow. Rynska said she reads its Telegram channel but has not read the magazine. She said the channel contains quotes from writers and historical sketches. The host said Shelyagova appeared on the magazine's cover.

Undertakers' Social Events

Rynska described a social circle built around the undertaker and his wife. She said the couple organizes large events, including a float trip on the Volga with accordion players. She said the event was taking place as the program was recorded. She said guests attend while avoiding comment on the war.

She said figures such as Turidze and Bondarchuk attend events hosted by Potupchik. She said the lack of concern about such associations is remarkable.

Rynska offered an explanation for why socialites give interviews to Moskvichka. She said such interviews are seen as proof of loyalty. She said Sati Spivakova gave an interview to the magazine. She said others may do so out of fear of falling out of trend. She also said that people sometimes claim they go to the Donbas because their families are being threatened. She said she did not believe that such pressure had been applied to Spivakova. She said the socialites acted on their own initiative.

She also said that the community around them thrives while the war continues. She said she expects it will end badly for them. She stated, "I think they will hang them. Right now, I don't see any signs of change." She added that she is confident this will eventually happen.

Igor Sinyak, Sergey Apollonov, and the Paris Trio

The host asked Rynska about the popularity of a trio from Paris, including Sergey Apollonov and Igor Sinyak. They recently appeared at a concert in Berlin before a large audience.

Rynska said she does not hate them. She said she mocks them sharply but considers hatred too much credit. She described them as harmless and said their success reflects how "empty times" promoted them.

Rynska said Zhitkovsky is a figure who presents Russia positively. She described his content as "for internal use," and Sinyak and Apollonov as criticizing Europe. The host suggested their messages aim at Russian audiences.

Rynska said she does not see a link between these figures and Potupchik. She said she does not see the hand of the Kremlin or the hand of the towers in their success. She said she has no explanation for why they became popular.

She said Zhitkovsky is more attractive and stylish and provides content, but that he did not achieve comparable success. She said if he had, she would have understood why.

Rynska compared the trio's popularity with a trend for Louboutin shoes that faded quickly. She predicted that the trio's popularity will fade.

Audience and Culture

Rynska said she does not consider the audience for these figures to be decisive. She said people who admire them are often from lower-income and less-educated groups. She said some women admire them, and said she does not understand this phenomenon. She described women gathering to welcome the trio in Jurmala.

Rynska also described the content as lacking artistic substance. She compared the performers with Madonna, noting that Madonna is a showwoman who dances well but does not sing well.

Creative Output of Relocated Artists

The host asked whether the relocated creative community will grow or fade. Rynska said she sees little substantial work so far. She cited the following works and figures:

• The Minotaur, which she described as the only major work she had seen, though she named other films as well.
• The Disappearance of Josef Mengele, which she said she likes.
• Rezo Gigineishvili, whom she described as a talented director. She said he filmed Patient No. 1 in 2022 and has since made a film about Georgian Jews.
• Glukhovsky, whose novel she said she had not read. She said she had seen extensive hostile reaction to it and claims that it is poorly written, but she could not support or refute these claims without reading it.
• Republic, which she described as an interesting outlet.
• Dolzhansky, who is the artistic director of a theater in Cottbus, together with Kulyabin.
• Marina Davydova, who has achieved a great deal in theater criticism.
• Serebrennikov, whose festival in Berlin attracts visitors from other cities for productions including Nureyev and The Blizzard. Rynska said she does not like much of his work but considers him a major theater director.
• Chulpan Khamatova, who played a Latgalian mother and peasant in Ula.
• Mansky, whose festivals in Paris and Riga Rynska described as significant.
• Zinaida Pronchenko, a film critic who headed a magazine in relocation despite having no prior experience as an editor-in-chief.

The host noted that Chulpan (Prochupan) was described in The New York Times as the "Russian Meryl Streep."

Rynska said new creative figures will emerge. She said emigrants and relocated people are experiencing "a huge creative blossoming."

Rynska's Own Work

Rynska said she began writing about cinema after publishing a review of Zvyagintsev's Minotaur. She said several film critics praised the review, including Alla Bossart, Larisa Yusipova, and Mitya Savelyev. Bossart said the review was well written. Plakhov said it reflected a large degree of projection. Rynska said Zvyagintsev also told her that the review contained many of her own projections.

Rynska said she has impostor syndrome when covering film. She said she has no film studies background and has not watched many films. She said she watched only the films she liked in the past.

She said she returned to culture after years of focus on social events. She cited Bergman's Wild Strawberries, which she said she recognized in Bublyakovsky's work. She said she plans to write about Bublyakovsky.

Migration and Its Effects

The First Years

Rynska said she spent the first nine months of her emigration in a refugee camp. She said she could not focus on anything other than her documents and status. She said the first year was difficult because relocated people are expected to produce work quickly. She said the process needs time, and that three years is typical for adjusting to emigration.

Rynska said the past year brought a breakthrough. She said she is now published in the media, including The Guardian and The New York Times, which she said she could not have anticipated in Russia.

The Second Year

Rynska described the second year of emigration as the hardest period. She said she wanted to return to Russia at that time, worried that she was spending the money from her apartment sale and not earning income. She said Latvia was far more expensive than she expected and that prices rose sharply after the war.

She said she felt she would not find herself in emigration. She said she began writing and that her interest in culture returned during this period.

Rynska said she had thoughts of suicide during the second year. She said her daughter Zhenya was the reason she did not act on them. She said she had worked out a plan involving an overdose but did not carry it out. She said the period of 2021 was particularly difficult. She said she gathered her strength in 2022.

Rynska said Maxim Galkin supported her during the second year. She said he called her when she wanted to leave, even though he adapted to emigration easily.

Art as Support

Rynska said she was healed through art. She said she listened to Dvořák's Ninth Symphony in the camp, under a blanket, and found it emotionally powerful.

She described a 20-year-old law student from Afghanistan who had lost her younger brother and mother in a shooting and was put on a plane by her father. Rynska said she played Gershwin's "Summertime" for the student, who had never heard it. She then played Pavarotti, and they listened to "Nessun Dorma" together. The student said it was the first time in many years that she cried because of beauty rather than the war. The student was later granted refugee status in Germany.

Rynska said she attended the Dresden Opera by buying the cheapest 10-euro ticket for the top tier. She moved to empty stall seats during intermissions when possible. She said she now receives invitations from theaters.

She said she visited the Dresden Gallery to look at Raphael every other day, because refugees had free admission. She said she treated these visits as meditation. She said Dostoevsky did the same during difficult periods in Dresden.

Rynska said poetry supported her. She named Slutsky, whose "Cologne Pit" she said supported her strongly, and Samoylov. She said she recited Mezhirov's lines when she needed motivation before court cases in Moscow. She said she is not drawn to Tsvetaeva or Akhmatova.

She said that she likes Rachmaninoff and the tenor Solovyanenko, who sang in Italian and German. She also named the Belarusian tenor Zinovy Babiy, who she said died some time ago. She said she could not read books during that period, though she read Dovlatov and nonfiction. She said that ballet does not help her, and that classical painting does, but modern art does not.

Gardening

Rynska said gardening helped her through emigration. She said she needs to dig in the soil each spring. She said she has a garden of about five ares at her home near Riga, under pines, and grows roses in large tubs. She also grows peonies, strawberries, currants, and blueberries. She said birds ate most of her grapes and currants this year.

Future Plans

Rynska said she does not regret staying abroad. She said she would have been imprisoned in Russia. She said she cannot return to Russia as it is now. She said she might return to a different Russia in the future.

She described Moscow as changed. She said she misses the pre-war city. She described nights of air-defense activity and drone alerts during a stay with her aunt near Serpukhov.

Closing Themes

The host and Rynska ended the program by discussing how art, poetry, and music supported them through hardship. The host stated that the program had moved from social news to questions of art and emotional recovery. Rynska said the discussion had been about roses, poetry, and classical music.