How SPIEF 2026 began. The biggest cringe of the forum’s first day

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How SPIEF 2026 began. The biggest cringe of the forum’s first day

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will run from June 3 to 6. In the remaining three days, there is still plenty more weirdness ahead of us: Grigory Leps’s performance in a bathhouse, a tournament in fistfights, and possibly a respectable visit from Andrew Tate, the world’s most prominent public misogynist, who is accused of rape and human trafficking in several countries.

But for now, here are the most memorable moments from the forum’s opening.

🔵Russia Today invited visitors to its stand to step into the “Hotline” cafe and check out a menu featuring 300-ruble joke items like “Long Epstein Island,” “Oreshnik” with condensed milk, and “European-style water (still).”

🔵There was also bowling with giant pins labeled “Fakes,” “Censorship,” and “Rewriting History.” In this way, RT is inviting everyone to “symbolically take part in what the TV channel does every day” by “striking at the foundations of Western policy.” But honestly, it looks more like a confession.

🔵Gazprom also decided to play at “Anshlag” and placed bundles of firewood at its stand with the sign “Euro-log for partners.”

🔵At the Moscow Region stand, robots from MIPT tried to play football, but it did not go especially well. It seems they have zero chance in a friendly match against China’s robot national team.

🔵SPIEF also saw the first live showing of the new Volga K50 crossover. The new product of Russia’s domestic auto industry turned out to be a Chinese Geely Monjaro with the badge replaced.

🔵At the Eurasia venue, the Buranovskiye Babushki danced to C'mon Everybody with Chinese Unitree G1 robots, which at the forum were named Robert and Matilda.

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