Anatolij Kaszpirowski Dies at Age 87 After Illness

Russian television personality Anatolij Kaszpirowski has died aged 87, according to his manager and Russian media. He passed away in a hospital after being diagnosed with cancer in July; reports stated he initially attempted self-treatment before entering the medical facility in critical condition.

Kaszpirowski was a Soviet psychiatrist known for conducting hypnotic healing sessions broadcast on television during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Millions of viewers worldwide, including those in Poland where his shows were widely watched, performed commands given by Kaszpirowski to cure various ailments such as bedwetting.

The Soviet authorities grew concerned about his phenomenon, labeling it a "collective psychosis." Beyond television, he held political office and served as a deputy in the State Duma. In 1995, he attempted to hypnotize Chechen terrorist Shamil Basayev during negotiations. Later that year, Kaszpirowski recorded an address to Vladimir Putin calling for mass COVID-19 vaccinations to be halted.