What World Leaders NEED to Know about Russia

Elvira Bary

Authoritarian regimes don’t survive by accident. They survive by mastering fear, memory, and human instinct. This channel explores how power systems twist history, culture, and psychology to maintain control. Russia’s past and present serve as the clearest case study, revealing patterns found in authoritarian societies everywhere. I’m Elvira Bary, an author born in the USSR. Drawing on lived experience, research, and cultural insight, I break down how strongmen build systems, justify lies, and train people to accept - and defend - their own confinement. New videos every Wednesday and Sunday

  1. Missile Crisis 2.0? The Truth About Russia’s Return to Cuba

    1D AGO

    Missile Crisis 2.0? The Truth About Russia’s Return to Cuba

    Russia is back in Cuba. Here’s why it matters - and what Trump might do next. Cuba is trending again for a reason. In this episode, Elvira Bary explains what Moscow actually wants from Havana in 2026, why it’s nothing like 1962, and why fuel—not missiles—is the real pressure point now. We’ll trace how Soviet subsidies built the regime, how Cuba was used as a proxy force abroad, what happened after the USSR collapsed, how Venezuela’s oil became Cuba’s lifeline, and why Russia’s recent naval signals are about leverage, optics, and distraction—not a repeat of the Cold War. Video Chapters: 00:00 Missile Crisis 2.0? The Truth About Russia’s Return to Cuba 02:30 Missiles Near Miami 05:33 Subsidies Building Havana 08:03 Fists for Hire 11:32 When Subsidies Died 14:42 Fuel Is Politics 19:08 Leverage, Not Love 22:19 Tomahawks and Signals 25:16 The Collapsing Club JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY 👉 Buy Me A Coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Donate with PayPal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CSAQ25WWN979A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 My books on Amazon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/465Co4Q⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    29 min
  2. Russia’s Secret Mindset: Why Russians Don’t Think Like You

    4D AGO

    Russia’s Secret Mindset: Why Russians Don’t Think Like You

    Why do Russians seem so contradictory to Western eyes—proud and defeated, loyal and cynical, obedient yet endlessly inventive? This video argues that what looks like “Russian mentality” is often a survival language: habits formed under fear, instability, and arbitrary power. Elvira Bary breaks down the hidden logic behind status as protection, loopholes as life skills, the state as “armor,” political apathy, loyalty theater, and the swing between superiority and shame. Once you see the pattern, Russia stops looking unpredictable—and starts looking brutally consistent. Video Chapters: 00:00 Russia’s Secret Mindset 01:54 The Social Costume 06:23 Scheming as a Life Skill 08:44 State as Armor 13:08 Political Apathy 18:23 Loyalty Theater 23:51 The Self-Worth Split 26:39 Survival Mode JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY 👉 Buy Me A Coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Donate with PayPal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CSAQ25WWN979A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 My books on Amazon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/465Co4Q⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    31 min
  3. New Russian “Insane” Laws That Make Russia Into One Giant Prison

    6D AGO

    New Russian “Insane” Laws That Make Russia Into One Giant Prison

    Russia’s strangest laws aren’t jokes - they’re weapons. In this video, Elvira Bary unpacks how the Kremlin uses bizarre, ambiguous, and deliberately absurd legislation to control private life, criminalize dissent, chain careers to the state, punish curiosity, and protect one man’s grip on power. From anti-LGBT crackdowns and treason expansions to censorship, forced loyalty, and laws that turn memes into crimes, this is the hidden architecture of fear that keeps an entire nation silent. If you want a clear, independent look at how these laws really work, and what they mean for Russia’s future - this deep dive will walk you through every layer. Video Chapters: 00:00 Russia's “Insane” Laws Kremlin Uses To Silence an Entire Nation 02:22 Policing Love and Family Relationships 05:53 Owning Your Career 08:42 Criminalizing Thoughts 13:35 Any Protest Is Treason 17:02 Citizenship for Mercenaries 20:05 People As New Oil 22:56 The Eternal President Project JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY 👉 Buy Me A Coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Donate with PayPal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CSAQ25WWN979A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 My books on Amazon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/465Co4Q⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    27 min
  4. Russian Nuclear Bluff: What If Putin Presses the Button?

    FEB 11

    Russian Nuclear Bluff: What If Putin Presses the Button?

    The fear is always the same: what if Putin uses nuclear weapons? But the Kremlin’s nuclear talk isn’t just about war—it’s about control. This video breaks down how nuclear threats shape Western policy, why Cold War childhood fears still influence leaders today, and how Soviet propaganda flipped the same terror onto Americans. Most importantly, it explains the myth of the “red button”: nuclear launch is a chain of people, procedures, and incentives—where self-preservation matters as much as ideology. You’ll also walk through the worst-case scenario step by step, separating what’s technically possible from what’s politically likely, and why Russia’s nuclear posture functions as a bluff designed to freeze decision-making. Video Chapters: 00:00 Russian Nuclear Bluff 06:05 Policy of Fear 09:09 The Childhood Trauma 12:10 Flipping the Story 14:56 The Button Is People 17:52 They Love Their Life 21:01 Even If He Orders It JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY 👉 Buy Me A Coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Donate with PayPal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CSAQ25WWN979A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 My books on Amazon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/465Co4Q⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    23 min
  5. Venezuela's Maduro Is Gone. Who Is Left Standing With Putin?

    FEB 8

    Venezuela's Maduro Is Gone. Who Is Left Standing With Putin?

    Putin still has friends - but they’re expensive, unstable, and quietly looking for the exit. Maduro is gone - and in Moscow, the panic is real. In this video, Elvira Bary maps the shrinking circle of states still willing to stand beside Putin, and what those “friendships” are actually made of: fear, weapons, discounts, votes, banking channels, and pure transaction. We’ll break down the loyal vassal Belarus, the arms pipelines from Iran and North Korea, the lopsided dependency on China, the pragmatic middlemen like Turkey and the UAE, and the partners who play neutral-for-profit. The conclusion is simple: Putin isn’t building a coalition — he’s renting one. And in 2026, the price of that rent keeps rising. Video Chapters: 00:00 Who Is Left Standing With Putin? 02:10 The Loyal Vassal 07:06 Arms Dealers 10:56 A Friend Too Big 16:30 Pragmatic Middlemen 19:17 Transactional Partners 22:05 Who’s Left Standing JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY 👉 Buy Me A Coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Donate with PayPal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CSAQ25WWN979A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 My books on Amazon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/465Co4Q⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    27 min
  6. Why the Kremlin is Terrified of Migrants: The Secret Threat No One Talks About

    FEB 6

    Why the Kremlin is Terrified of Migrants: The Secret Threat No One Talks About

    Why Putin fears migrants - and why their future could reshape Russia more than any war. Migration has shaped Russia for centuries - building cities, fueling industries, and holding the country together through war and collapse. But today, migrants have become the one force the Kremlin cannot control, and the one fear Putin cannot openly admit. In this video, we explore why migrants from Central Asia and beyond have become essential to Russia’s economy, why they face constant harassment from police and politicians, and how their rising visibility threatens the foundations of Putin’s system. From post-Soviet demographic collapse to forced labor in drone factories, this is the story of the hidden crisis shaping Russia’s future - and the quiet danger the Kremlin hopes you never notice. Video Chapters: 00:00 Why the Kremlin is Terrified of Migrants 01:59 Building by Moving 07:20 After the Breakup 15:25 Central Asian Lifeline 22:44 The New Migrants JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY 👉 Buy Me A Coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Donate with PayPal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CSAQ25WWN979A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 My books on Amazon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/465Co4Q⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    27 min
  7. The Return of the Snitch: Why Russians Are Reporting Their Neighbors

    FEB 4

    The Return of the Snitch: Why Russians Are Reporting Their Neighbors

    Why Russians are reporting neighbors again - and what this reveals about modern Russia. Why has denunciation - the act of reporting neighbors, coworkers, even family, returned in modern Russia? In this episode, Elvira Bary examines the historical roots of snitching, the psychological forces behind it, and the political system that now rewards it. From Stalin-era terror to today’s “professional informants,” denunciations reveal how fear shapes society, how authoritarian regimes maintain control, and why this culture is resurfacing as the war in Ukraine reshapes life inside Russia. This is the hidden mechanism powering repression - and a warning for any society that begins to normalize suspicion. JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY 👉 Buy Me A Coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Donate with PayPal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CSAQ25WWN979A⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 My books on Amazon: ⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/465Co4Q⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    12 min
  8. What's Behind Russia's Lie About the 'Decadent West'?

    FEB 1

    What's Behind Russia's Lie About the 'Decadent West'?

    Why Russia calls the West “decadent” — and why this lie still shapes a nation’s soul. For centuries, Russia has defined itself not by what it is, but by what it is not. From tsars to Putin, its leaders have painted the West as “decadent,” godless, and doomed — a moral contrast that justifies repression, poverty, and war as signs of spiritual superiority. In this video, Elvira Bary explores how the myth of the “Decadent West” became Russia’s most enduring illusion — the lie that excuses everything. Along the way, she reveals how moral inversion, projection, and fear sustain this worldview, and why millions still cling to it today. Video Chapters: 00:00 What's Behind Russia's Lie About the 'Decadent West'? 03:17 The Crooked Mirror 10:07 The Architecture of the Myth 20:11 Moral Inversion 23:40 The Longevity of the Lie JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY 👉 Buy Me A Coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Donate with PayPal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CSAQ25WWN979A⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 My books on Amazon: ⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/465Co4Q⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    28 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Authoritarian regimes don’t survive by accident. They survive by mastering fear, memory, and human instinct. This channel explores how power systems twist history, culture, and psychology to maintain control. Russia’s past and present serve as the clearest case study, revealing patterns found in authoritarian societies everywhere. I’m Elvira Bary, an author born in the USSR. Drawing on lived experience, research, and cultural insight, I break down how strongmen build systems, justify lies, and train people to accept - and defend - their own confinement. New videos every Wednesday and Sunday

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