What is the 'Russian cultural code'?

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.3 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 27 November 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Why the traditional kokoshnik headdress is en vogue in Russia, and how it has become a poster image for the Kremlin’s vision of national identity. When President Putin talks not of tanks but of tiaras, it’s a signal that symbolism matters. We unpick the dress code of the Russian “patriot” to explore a deeper idea at the heart of everything from fashion and music to entertainment and literature. We go on a mission to decode the “cultural code” that, in the eyes of Russia’s leaders, makes the nation unique - and morally superior.

Contributors: Veronika Malinboym, Yulia Volovik Producer: Kriszta Satori Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg Music: Pete Cunningham

Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.
0:10.0	There's a new catchphrase in Moscow circles that aims to define what it means to be Russian.
0:18.5	We'll return sovereignty and independence to our cultural code. It's it's a surenness and
0:20.8	non-savisimus
0:21.7	our cultural code.
0:24.0	It translates as
0:25.0	the Russian
0:25.5	cultural code.
0:27.2	It's a phrase
0:27.8	that's left
0:28.3	plenty of people
0:29.2	scratching their heads.
0:31.1	Not many people
0:31.8	in Russian know
0:32.4	what it means,
0:33.0	actually.
0:34.1	I think different
0:35.0	people give
0:35.5	different definitions.
0:36.9	This elusive idea has crept into every aspect of life.
0:41.5	We see it in entertainment industry, in cinema, in movies, TV shows, music, art, fashion,
0:48.9	and definitely social media as well.
	...

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