Citizen X

The events span the early 1980s into the late 1980s and early 1990s, a period dominated by the late Soviet era and its political reforms. Glasnost and Perestroika loosen censorship and bureaucratic constraints, allowing investigations to progress more openly. Yet state propaganda and fear of the USSR's image continue to complicate reporting and public awareness of the crimes.

The narrative unfolds on a Soviet collective farm during the 1982 harvest, highlighting rural life under state oversight. Investigations extend from the farm into surrounding woods and crowded railroad stations, illustrating the reach of police power across the landscape. The setting highlights the friction between ordinary citizens and a sprawling bureaucracy that shapes how justice unfolds.

🔎 Investigation

Citizen X follows a meticulous investigation that grows from a single murder to a region-wide hunt for a serial killer. Forensic science, undercover work, and persistent policing efforts converge across farms and stations as the case broadens. Burakov endures political pressure and administrative delays while keeping victims in focus, underscoring how patient inquiry can unmask a cunning killer. The narrative emphasizes the human cost of a stalled pursuit and the power of disciplined detection.

🗂️ Bureaucracy

State bureaucracy and political sensitivities impede progress as officials fear the USSR's image and rely on slow procedures. Glasnost-era reforms gradually loosen control, allowing truths to surface. The struggle between secrecy and accountability threads through investigations, showing how institutional inertia can delay justice.

🧠 Psychology

Dr. Bukhanovsky's analysis frames the killer in terms of abnormal psychology, offering a theoretical lens for understanding motive and behavior. The dialogue shifts from theory to confession as psychological insight helps unlock suppressed memories. The nickname Citizen X underscores the tension between a monstrous psyche and public safety, and how understanding the mind can drive justice.