Russian Affairs

Dasha is an art historian who leaves her provincial life for Moscow, hoping to trade small-town anonymity for opportunity, glamour, and a new future. The series follows her as she steps into a world of expensive receptions, powerful figures, and seductive promises. Relationships with figures like Lyudmila, Gleb, Hamid, and Karina complicate her ascent, and a sudden, brutal incident changes the shape of her plans and forces secrets to surface. The show keeps its mysteries close, concentrating on atmosphere and character rather than revealing outcomes up front.

Created by Konstantin Bogomolov, Russian Affairs premiered in 2019 and features Darya Moroz as Elena Shirokova alongside Marina Zudina, Vladimir Mishukov, Cengiz Coşkun, and Sabina Akhmedova. The series mixes drama with mystery and leans on strong production design to portray contemporary Moscow's high society.

There’s no wide record of major international awards attached to the series, and it didn’t become a major awards contender outside its home market. Any recognition it received tended to be regional, focused on acting or production values rather than sweeping festival prizes.

The show attracted attention for its glossy portrayal of Moscow’s elite, sparking conversations about wealth, influence, and taste on Russian social media. Its visual style, wardrobe choices, and depiction of receptions and private salons made it easy to talk about, and those elements helped it stand out among domestic dramas of the late 2010s.

Critical reaction was mixed, reflected in a modest average rating of 6.192 out of 10 from 26 votes. Viewers and reviewers often pointed to strong performances, notably by Darya Moroz and Marina Zudina, while opinions differed on pacing and how the mystery unfolded. Themes include ambition, class and the moral compromises people make when they want more, with art and social status serving as recurring motifs throughout the episodes.