2026 isn’t about AI or rates. It’s about leaders chasing status—and the bill coming due.

Most 2026 forecasts obsess over interest rates and AI. Useful—but incomplete. Because the real driver of the next year isn’t technology or spreadsheets. It’s power psychology: leaders who start living inside a self-made reality, treating image as truth and status as survival. In this big-picture geopolitical breakdown, Elvira Bary maps the deeper forces shaping 2026: the instinct trap that elevates “strong leaders,” the rise of narrative over facts, the dangerous logic of status games, and the coming fight over who gets protected first when resources feel scarce. If you want to understand what will shape the headlines before they happen—this is the video.

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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Putin can’t win militarily—so he’s trying to erase Ukraine. Here’s his final plan to partition it.

Why is Putin embracing a so-called “peace plan” that dismantles Ukraine rather than ending the war? In this video, Elvira Bary examines the Kremlin’s shift from battlefield conquest to political erasure, the ideological roots behind denying Ukraine’s existence, the Western actors unintentionally enabling Moscow’s strategy, and the dangerous global consequences if Ukraine is carved apart. This is the deeper story behind Putin’s last strategy—one that could reshape Europe’s security and the future of international norms.

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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Russia’s relationship with death is unlike anything in the West.

In this video, I trace how centuries of serfdom, Orthodox martyrdom, Soviet hero worship, and today’s propaganda fused into a “death cult” that still shapes Russian politics and the war in Ukraine. From children raised on stories of glorious sacrifice, to schools once again teaching boys to die for the state, to the quiet anger of widows and mothers left behind, we’ll explore why death is treated as sacred capital — and what happens when a country built on sacrifice runs out of people to lose.

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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Why Russia has no real opposition left — and what it means for its future.

In today’s Russia, opposition isn’t just silenced — it’s erased. Elections are theater, dissent is criminalized, and truth itself has gone underground. In this video, Elvira Bary explores why real political opposition no longer exists under Putin — from fake parties to exiled journalists — and what kind of leadership might one day replace the collapsing system. Drawing on history, personal insight, and Russia’s moral crisis, she asks a question every society must face: what happens when a nation loses its conscience?

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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Why Ukraine kept democracy alive while Russia and Belarus slid into dictatorship?

Why did three nations with the same Soviet past choose such different futures? In this video, Elvira Bary breaks down why democracy survived in Ukraine but collapsed in Russia and Belarus. This is not a story about “national character.” It’s a story about money, security forces, national myths, and the political deals each country made after 1991. From oil wealth that fuels autocracy to competing oligarch clans, from captured courts to volunteer networks that became an “other army” in Ukraine — this deep-dive reveals the real forces shaping Eastern Europe today.

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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Inside the strange world where Putin’s Russia runs not on logic—but on superstition and fate.

JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/⁠⁠⁠

👉 Get New Episodes at least 7 days earlier on Elvira Bary YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠

Most analyses of Russia focus on politics or war—but beneath both lies something deeper: belief. In this video, Elvira Bary explores how superstition, mysticism, and magical thinking became part of Russia’s operating system—from pagan rituals and Rasputin’s court to Soviet ideology and the modern Kremlin’s obsession with luck, curses, and “enemy sorcery.” Discover why this mindset shapes decisions at every level of power, and what it reveals about a nation where faith and fear still outweigh reason.

Video Chapters:

00:00 The Black Magic of the Kremlin: Who Putin Really Listens To

02:53 Official Religion and Traditional Beliefs

07:23 The Rise of Mysticism

12:46 The Mystics of the Soviet Era

16:27 The Superstition Boom in the Post-Soviet Years

21:37 Modern Magical Thinking

👉Support this channel with Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/elvirabary

or

👉Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CSAQ25WWN979A

JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/⁠⁠⁠

👉 Get New Episodes at least 7 days earlier on Elvira Bary YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠

Russia’s hidden oil fleet: the secret pipeline turning crude into blood for Putin’s war.

JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/⁠⁠

👉 Get New Episodes at least 7 days earlier on Elvira Bary YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠

How does Putin keep funding his war in Ukraine despite the toughest sanctions in modern history? In this video, Elvira Bary reveals the shadow fleet - a covert network of tankers and offshore schemes that turn Russian oil into blood money. Built in secret and sailing under false flags, this ghost fleet bypasses Western restrictions and keeps the Kremlin’s war chest full. Through the lens of her upcoming novel The Snow Queen’s Spring, Elvira traces how corruption, fear, and deception form the real engine behind Russia’s war, and what the West can still do to stop it.

Video Chapters:

00:00 How Russia's Ghost Fleet is Keeping Putin’s War in Ukraine Alive

02:40 The Art of Deception — How Russia’s culture of scheming became its greatest weapon.

06:35 The Sanctions — What the West tried to do, and where it went wrong.

12:21 The Birth of the Shadow Fleet — How the operation was built in record time.

15:09 The Vanishing Act — How Russian oil “disappears” on paper and resurfaces in other ports.

19:07 The Cops Closing In — How the West is finally learning to fight back.

JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/⁠⁠

👉 Get New Episodes at least 7 days earlier on Elvira Bary YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠

Russia looks strong. Putin looks untouchable. I’ll show you why that “strength” is staged.

Authoritarian power always sells itself as efficient, ruthless, unstoppable. Skyscrapers in months. Enemies crushed overnight. Glorious parades and endless missiles. But much of what looks like strength in Putin’s Russia is theater — an expensive illusion meant to scare outsiders and keep citizens obedient. In this video, I’ll break down how fake power is manufactured, why corrupt systems choose spectacle over progress, how that lie spreads to the West, and why regimes built on fear always rot from within. We’ll also talk about the one force that dictators can’t control: educated minds. Stay to the end, because I’m going to ask you something important.

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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Why does Russia keep fighting a war it can’t win, can’t afford, and can’t walk away from?

In this video, Elvira Bary dives into the hidden logic of the Kremlin — the fear, the internal rivalries, the lies, and the survival instincts that keep this war alive long after strategy stopped making sense. We’ll explore why negotiations are impossible, why peace is more dangerous for Putin than defeat, why Russian elites stay silent, and why ordinary people once supported a catastrophe that offers them nothing. This is the political psychology of the Kremlin — stripped of myths, illusions, and propaganda.

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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Inside the minds of Putin’s supporters — the seductive dream shaping Russia’s future.

JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY👉 Sign-up for news about the New Book here: ⁠https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/

What do Putin’s supporters really believe about the future of the world — and Russia’s place in it? In this video, Elvira Bary takes you inside Russia’s parallel reality, where the West is collapsing, China is rising, and Russia sees itself as the last stronghold of moral order. Through real conversations and psychological insight, she explores how this dream of empire transforms fear into faith — and why it may ultimately destroy the nation it claims to save. Join Elvira for an unflinching look at the vision of the world that drives Putin’s supporters — and the heavy price of believing in it.

Video Chapters:

00:00 Inside the Mind of Putin's Supporters

02:15 The End of the Old World

07:19 The New Order

11:49 The Globalist Conspiracy

16:34 Predictions of the Future

22:16 The Price of the Dream

👉 Get New Episodes at least 7 days earlier on Elvira Bary YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@elvirabary⁠⁠⁠⁠