Kremlin Officials Seize on Epstein Document Dump to Brand Western Leadership as ‘Satanic’
Russian government officials and state media have leveraged the recent release of unsealed court documents regarding Jeffrey Epstein to launch a fresh rhetorical attack against the United States and its allies. In a statement widely circulated by Russian outlets, the Kremlin asserted that the revelations within the “Epstein files” expose what they describe as the “pure Satanism” of Western elites.
This latest condemnation fits a pattern of escalating moral accusations from Moscow. Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Ministry officials have frequently pivoted from geopolitical grievances to metaphysical arguments, framing the conflict not merely as a territorial dispute, but as a spiritual war against a “decadent” West. The use of the term “Satanism” is a recurring theme in Russian state propaganda, often used to describe Western policies on gender identity, religious freedom, and now, the high-profile corruption scandals linked to the disgraced financier.
The documents in question stem from a settled defamation lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre against Ghislaine Maxwell. The files list over 150 names of individuals who associated with Epstein, ranging from politicians and royalty to actors and scientists. While the release has prompted legitimate public outrage and renewed scrutiny of the justice system in the United States, Russia’s specific framing of the scandal aims to depict the entire Western political establishment as morally illegitimate.
Geopolitical analysts argue that Moscow’s focus on the Epstein scandal is a strategic diversion intended to fracture Western unity. By amplifying the scandal and couching it in religious terminology, the Kremlin seeks to appeal to conservative and religious demographics both within Russia and internationally. Furthermore, critics point out the hypocrisy of the narrative; while the unsealed documents reveal disturbing allegations and associations, the Russian government’s blanket characterization ignores the nuances of the legal files, which include individuals who have not been accused of any wrongdoing, as well as the functioning of a judicial system that allowed these files to be exposed to the public—a transparency mechanism rarely found in Russia’s own political landscape.
