Use BBC.com or the new BBC App to listen to BBC podcasts, Radio 4 and the World Service outside the UK.

Find out how to listen to other BBC stations

Episode details

World Service,27 Nov 2025,31 mins

What is the 'Russian cultural code'?

The Global Jigsaw

Available for over a year

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

Programme Website
More episodes