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The Russian Metaverse:
sociocultural topology and morphology of the new space

Kryshtanovskaya O.V.,

Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, Russia, olgakrysht@yandex.ru

elibrary_id: 357811 | ORCID: 0000-0001-5278-0940 |

Lavrov I.A. ,

Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, Russia, lavrov.sociology@gmail.com

elibrary_id: 1053266 | ORCID: 0000-0002-3567-4502 |

Article received: 2025.07.21 19:41. Accepted: 2026.01.11 19:41


DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2026.02.06
EDN: NFEFUF

Rubric: Theme of the issue: The Russian Metaverse: aspects of identity, civic consciousness, and patriotism

For citation:

Kryshtanovskaya O.V., Lavrov I.A. The Russian Metaverse: sociocultural topology and morphology of the new space. – Polis. Political Studies. 2026. No. 2. https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2026.02.06. EDN: NFEFUF (In Russ.)

Abstract

This article attempts to understand the phenomenon of the Russian Metaverse – a multifaceted digital space shaped by global digitalization trends and the country’s unique sociocultural characteristics. Drawing on the theoretical approaches of M. Castells, Z. Bauman, J. Urry and M. Ball, we explore the ontological foundations, social topology, and the specific borders and inhabitants of this virtual entity. The article seeks to demonstrate that the space known as the Russian Metaverse cannot be reduced to the physical, linguistic or administrative borders of the Russian Federation. It is a global digital space with blurred contours, defined not by territorial affiliation but by the complex interaction of cultural identity, shared interests and online practices of millions of users. The article analyzes the key characteristics of the Russian Metaverse, including its “fluidity,” hypermobility, hyperconnectivity and the hybridization of offline and online realities. Particular attention is paid to the role of digital platforms, which act as the infrastructural core of Russia’s virtual world and to the principles of digital stratification, manifested through the activities of avatars and the communities that emerge around them. The paradoxical combination of global permeability and digital localization, manifested in the phenomenon of “network bubbles” is explored. We identify a fundamental tension between the hierarchical logic of the traditional state and the networked principles of social structure, which gives rise to new challenges. The state’s adaptation to the new reality, including the creation of a “smart state” and the development of its own digital products, is examined as a response to these challenges. The conclusion emphasizes that the Russian Metaverse represents not only an object of scientific research but also an arena for future social, political, and cultural transformations.

Keywords

metaverse, Russia, digital space, Russian world, digital stratification, platformization, network capital, fluidity, superconnectivity, Runet, digital state, avatar.

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