An excerpt from “Vremia DDT,” a 2002 documentary centered on DDT, one of Russia’s best-known rock bands throughout the 1990s and later. A montage of amateur footage by DDT leader and frontman Yuri Shevchuk (1957-), who visited Russian frontlines during the First Chechen War in 1995-1996, is backed by the song “Patsany [Guys],” itself inspired by Shevchuk’s experience.

Alexander Liubimov’s (1962-) talk show, “One on One,” staged debates between public figures who disagreed strongly with each other. When nationalist provocateur Vladimir Zhirinovsky (1946-2022) and liberal reformer Boris Nemtsov (1959-2015) met on air in as the First Chechen War (1994-1996) was just beginning, sparks—and a piece of the set—flew.

Novyi Vzgliad authors write some of the most scandalous and incendiary political commentaries of the 1990s, producing new forms of political irony. Iaroslav Mogutin and Eduard Limonov turn violence into a paradoxical source of identity. The main artifact here–an article by Mogutin–exemplifies this process.

Svetlana Baskova captures the surreal, deeply violent, and grotesque essence of the 1990s and the Chechen wars in her cult trash movie, "Zelenyi slonik" (The little green elephant, 1999).