Heart Stops After Cardiac Failure
Soviet and Russian psychotherapist and hypnotist Anatoly Kashpirovsky died after his heart stopped shortly after 6:30 a.m., dnes.bg reported. According to information from SHOT reported by Gazeta.ru and cited by FOCUS, the cause of death was acute cardiac failure after his family called an ambulance to his home. Showman Andrey Malakhov broke the news on Telegram, writing, “Anatoly Mikhailovich Kashpirovsky has left us. Rest in peace!” 24chasa.bg reported. Representative Sergey Rudikh confirmed the death to RIA Новости, noting that Kashpirovsky passed away at 6:40 a.m.
Millions Watched Health Sessions in 1989
Kashpirovsky became a television phenomenon at the end of the Soviet era when Central Television of the USSR broadcast his "Health Sessions" in 1989, dnes.bg reported. During the summer and autumn of that year, millions across the former Eastern Bloc watched him stare into cameras with a hypnotic gaze, promising to cure everything from scars and headaches to insomnia and chronic suffering. Viewers placed jars of water, creams, and photographs of loved ones around their television sets to absorb healing energy.
BNT Broadcasts Break Ratings Records in Bulgaria
The television mania crossed into Bulgaria in the early 1990s, where the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) broadcast his sessions to record-breaking ratings, dnes.bg reported. Kashpirovsky visited Bulgaria in person during the early 1990s, holding mass sessions in packed venues including the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, where thousands queued for hours to buy tickets or touch him. EraNova.bg noted that he later maintained contact with audiences through a YouTube channel where he published videos and held online meetings starting around 2020. FOCUS added that he previously led republican and international psychotherapy centers in Kiev in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Health Ministry Bans Broadcasts Amid Psychoses
The medical and scientific communities in both Russia and Bulgaria raised alarms over the consequences of mass hypnosis, prompting the Russian Ministry of Health to officially ban television broadcast sessions, dnes.bg reported. The ban followed rising cases of psychoses, aggravated chronic conditions, and patients refusing traditional medical treatment. 24chasa.bg reported that Kashpirovsky faced legal trouble in 2006 when he was held administratively accountable for illegal practice of traditional medicine in Chelyabinsk, though he resumed mass sessions and sold branded products in the autumn of 2024.
Election to State Duma and Chechen Conflict Talks
Despite medical bans, Kashpirovsky entered politics and won election as a deputy to the Russian State Duma in 1993 representing Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s party, dnes.bg and EraNova.bg reported. FOCUS noted that during his first convocation in the Duma, he participated in 1995 negotiations between federal forces and fighters led by former Chechen Prime Minister Shamil Basayev during the act in Budyonnovsk. 24chasa.bg confirmed his political career alongside his television and psychotherapy background.
Frequently Asked Questions About Anatoly Kashpirovsky’s Life and Career
What political party did Kashpirovsky represent in the State Duma?
Kashpirovsky was elected as a deputy to the Russian State Duma in 1993 from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, as reported by EraNova.bg and dunavmost.com.
What legal challenges did Kashpirovsky face regarding his practice?
In 2006, Kashpirovsky was held under administrative accountability for the illegal practice of traditional medicine in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, 24chasa.bg reported.
Who confirmed the death of the psychotherapist?
Showman Andrey Malakhov announced the death on Telegram, and representative Sergey Rudikh confirmed the passing to RIA Novosti, 24chasa.bg reported.
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