COLUMN: Epstein, Putin, and the Kremlin—When the Files Reveal a Russian Web

Blackmail, the quintessential Russian method

Kompromat—the Russian practice of collecting compromising information to exert pressure—lies at the heart of the revelations in the Epstein files. The documents show that Epstein didn’t just seek to meet Putin. He also forged ties with Russian officials, FSB agents, diplomats, and oligarchs. Men who, today, refuse to speak out. Men who, perhaps, have something to hide. Because kompromat is the ultimate weapon. It is what allows one to control, manipulate, and silence. And Epstein was a master of it.

The emails reveal that he discussed with individuals close to the Kremlin the possibility of providing “valuable” information. Information about whom? About what? The documents don’t say. But when you consider that Epstein was also in contact with young Russian women and organized their trips to Europe and the United States, you can’t help but make the connection. Because kompromat isn’t just a method. It’s an industry. An industry where the victims are pawns, where the powerful are clients, and where intermediaries like Epstein are the cogs in a well-oiled machine.

And then there’s that question that keeps coming up: Was Epstein a Russian agent? The documents don’t prove it. But they do show that he maintained ties with FSB officials, that he discussed sensitive topics with them, and that he sought to position himself as an intermediary between Moscow and the West. These facts are now prompting countries such as Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia to launch investigations. These facts are now leading analysts to say that the hypothesis that Epstein was a Russian agent “can no longer be ruled out.” So, is this a conspiracy theory or reality? One thing is certain: when you see just how deeply Epstein was able to infiltrate Russian power circles, you can no longer believe it was a coincidence.

Kompromat is the weapon of cowards. It is the weapon of those who prefer to manipulate rather than convince, who prefer to silence rather than debate, who prefer to destroy rather than build. And Epstein was a master of it. Because he knew one thing: in a world where power is measured by the secrets one holds, whoever controls the information controls everything. The victims. The powerful. The governments. And today, when we see just how deeply he was able to infiltrate the Kremlin’s inner circles, we can no longer pretend otherwise. We can no longer look away. We can no longer believe that all of this is just a coincidence. Because kompromat isn’t a theory. It’s a reality. A reality that made Epstein much more than just a criminal. A reality that made him a cog in a much larger, much darker system. And today, the question is no longer whether he was a Russian agent. The question is how far this system reaches. How far it has gone. And above all, who else is part of it.

Peskov and the Strategy of Contempt

Faced with the revelations, the Kremlin has opted for a strategy of denial. “I’m tempted to make a lot of jokes about this theory, but let’s not waste our time,” said Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesperson, when asked if Epstein was a Russian agent. A reaction that speaks volumes: neither a categorical denial nor a confirmation, but a calculated mockery. As if, deep down, the Kremlin knew these revelations wouldn’t affect it. As if, deep down, it had already anticipated everything.

Yet the facts are there. The emails are there. The names are there. And above all, there is this question that keeps coming up: Why did Epstein insist so much on meeting Putin? Why did he try so hard to infiltrate his inner circle? Why did he talk so much about kompromat, blackmail, and compromising information? The Kremlin, for its part, refuses to answer. It merely laughs it off. It downplays the issue. It diverts attention. As if it knew that, in any case, no one could ever prove anything.

And then there’s that other strategy, well known to the Kremlin: disinformation. As soon as the Epstein files were published, Russian networks attempted to sow doubt, cover their tracks, and muddy the waters. Fake articles, false testimonies, and forged documents circulated, accusing in turn Macron, Zelensky, or other Western leaders. A classic tactic: muddy the waters, sow confusion, and ensure that no one knows what to believe anymore. A tactic that is now paying off. Because amid the media noise, the flood of information, and the proliferation of conspiracy theories, the truth eventually gets lost. And that is precisely the goal.

What strikes me about the Kremlin’s reaction is its arrogance. That certainty of never having to be held accountable. That strategy of contempt, denial, and mockery. As if, deep down, Peskov and the others knew they were untouchable. As if, deep down, they knew that no one could ever reach them. And today, when I see this, I tell myself one thing: the real scandal isn’t Epstein. It isn’t Putin. It’s us. We who let it happen. We who look the other way. We who prefer to believe in conspiracy theories rather than the truth. Because the truth is that Epstein wasn’t alone. He didn’t act alone. He was a link in a much larger, much darker system. And today, the question is no longer whether he was a Russian agent. The question is why we accept this. Why we let this happen. Why we do nothing.

Their Struggle, Our Silence

Amid the media frenzy, the power struggles, and the cascade of revelations, there are names we forget—those of the hundreds of young girls, some of them minors, whom Jeffrey Epstein abused, exploited, and shattered. Women, some of whom dared to speak out, confront their tormentors, and demand justice. And who, even today, see their hopes betrayed by politicians more concerned with their careers than with the truth.

For beyond the files, the emails, and the theories, there is their suffering. The suffering of these victims who are still waiting for justice to be served. The suffering of these women who have had to face the judgmental stares of others, the contempt of institutions, and the indifference of those in power. And today, while the names of Epstein, Putin, and Lavrov dominate the headlines, they remain in the shadows. Their voices are drowned out by the clamor of scandals. Their struggles are pushed to the sidelines.

Yet they are at the heart of this case. Because it is for them that the truth must come to light. Because it is for them that the accomplices must be held accountable for their actions. Because it is for them that men like Epstein, Putin, and so many others must finally understand that their associations, their silences, and their compromises come at a price. A price paid in tears, in trauma, in shattered lives. And when we see how easily Epstein was able to hide behind his networks, how casually he was able to downplay his crimes, we ask ourselves: where is justice? Where is redress? Where, quite simply, is dignity?

I’m thinking of them tonight. Of those women who had to face hell, then contempt, then indifference. They believed in justice. They believed that, perhaps, one day, the powerful would pay for what they did—or for what they allowed to happen. But no. Today, we’re being bombarded with a barrage of revelations, conspiracy theories, and a string of denials. As if that were enough. As if it could erase years of suffering. The truth is that Epstein was just one link in the chain. That Putin is just another actor in this shadow theater. And that as long as we accept these half-measures, these unspoken truths, these compromises with morality, we will all be complicit. Complicit in their silence. Complicit in their pain.

Three Ways to Break the Deadlock

The revelations from the Epstein case cannot go unaddressed. Three measures are essential. First, an international, independent commission of inquiry with broad powers and complete transparency. Not an internal investigation, not a mission entrusted to those close to those in power, but a genuine commission capable of shedding full light on the ties between Epstein, the Kremlin, and Western elites. Second, enhanced protection for the victims. Not just words, not just press releases, but concrete action. Legal, psychological, and financial assistance. Because if the justice system truly wants to turn the page, it must do so for them—not just to save face.

Finally, there’s us. The citizens. The voters. The readers. Our role is not to look the other way, to be satisfied with the revelations, or to believe that everything is settled just because Epstein is dead and Putin is laughing. Our role is to demand. To demand that the truth come to light. To demand that the accomplices be prosecuted. To demand that institutions change. Because if we don’t do it, who will? If we let this slide, what will we accept tomorrow?

The Epstein case is a ticking time bomb. A bomb that is now exploding in broad daylight. A bomb that reveals the flaws in our democracies, the complacency of our elites, and the impunity of those who believe themselves untouchable. But it is also an opportunity. An opportunity to show that, this time, things will change. That victims will no longer be sacrificed on the altar of careers. That the powerful will no longer be able to hide behind their naivety. That the truth, at last, will have the final say.

I don’t know what the investigations will reveal. Perhaps Putin never met Epstein. Perhaps the links between the Kremlin and the child sex offender are nothing more than coincidences. But one thing is certain: we no longer have the right to remain silent. We no longer have the right to look the other way. We no longer have the right to believe that all of this is just a conspiracy theory. Because the facts are there. The emails are there. The names are there. And above all, there are these victims. These women who are still waiting for justice. So yes, let’s demand accountability. Let’s demand the truth. Let’s demand that the accomplices be held accountable for their actions. Because if we don’t, we will all, one day, be complicit in their silence.

The Choice We Have Left

The Epstein-Putin affair is much more than a scandal. It is a revelation. A revelation of the flaws in our system, of the complacency of our elites, of the impunity of those who believe themselves untouchable. But it is also an opportunity. An opportunity to show that, this time, things will change. That victims will no longer be sacrificed on the altar of careers. That the powerful will no longer be able to hide behind their naivety. That the truth, at last, will have the final say.

To achieve this, we need courage. We must break with old habits. We must be willing to lose battles in order to win the war for trust. And above all, we must understand one thing: in a democracy, legitimacy cannot be decreed. It must be earned. Every day. Every decision. Every action.

So yes, the Epstein cases are a bombshell. A bombshell that is now exploding in broad daylight. A bombshell that reveals the flaws in our democracies, the complacency of our elites, and the impunity of those who believe themselves untouchable. But it is also an opportunity. An opportunity to show that, this time, things will change. That victims will no longer be sacrificed on the altar of careers. That the powerful will no longer be able to hide behind their naivety. That the truth, at last, will have the final say. Even when it hurts. Even when it shakes our certainties. Even when it forces us to choose between power and ethics. Because it is in moments like these that the future of a society is decided. And because, today more than ever, we cannot afford to make a mistake.

I don’t know what the future holds. Perhaps the investigations will reveal nothing. Perhaps Putin, Lavrov, Beliakov, and the others will walk away unscathed. Perhaps, tomorrow, all of this will be nothing more than a bad memory. But one thing is certain: this case has changed something. It has shown that even the most powerful, even the most protected, even the most respected, can fall. It has shown that when the truth comes out, nothing is the same as before. So yes, let’s keep asking questions. Let’s keep demanding answers. Let’s keep fighting to ensure that the victims are heard. Because that is what democracy is all about. Not silence. Not resignation. Not forgetting. But the struggle, every day, to ensure that justice prevails. And today, in the face of the Epstein case, in the face of the ties to the Kremlin, in the face of all these gray areas, that struggle has never been more necessary.

Signed, Jacques Provost