TWH – On July 23, 2025, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation issued a ruling banning the so-called “International Satanist Movement,” labeling it an extremist organization and outlawing its activities nationwide. The case was brought by Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, who claimed the movement promoted hatred against traditional religions and called for the destruction of Orthodox Christian symbols.
“The movement is based on extremist ideology, hatred and hostility towards traditional religious confessions,” read the official statement from the Prosecutor General’s office. “Its participants publicly call for extremism, as well as for the destruction, damage and desecration of Orthodox churches, chapels, worship crosses, etc.”
The Court’s decision cited accusations of ritual murders, neo-Nazi affiliations, and crimes against minors. Yet there is no evidence that any such international Satanist organization exists. Instead, the ruling appears to follow a broader pattern of targeting imagined ideological enemies, including LGBTQ+ communities, Pagans, and artistic subcultures.
Emblem of the Supreme Court of Russia [Public Domain
However, the cultural and political reach of Russia’s actions reverberates far beyond its borders. Russian disinformation campaigns, Orthodox-aligned ideologies, and cultural censorship efforts have gained traction in neighboring regions and sympathetic political movements abroad. These developments concern not only Russian citizens but also international communities, including Pagans, religious minorities, and LGBTQ+ individuals, who may find themselves targeted by similar rhetoric or policies in their own countries.
The roots of this Supreme Court decision can be traced to an earlier, ideologically charged meeting in the Russian State Duma. In April, 2025, the Duma hosted a roundtable titled “At War with Satanism,” chaired by General Vladimir Shamanov, a former commander in the Chechen wars. The session featured Russian Orthodox clergy, lawmakers, and state-aligned media figures. Participants agreed without debate that so-called Satanist symbols, such as pentagrams, devil horn hairpins, and “demonic” costumes, must be banned.
“We need a firm stance, not discussions,” said MP Olga Timofeeva. “But a complete ban on all organizations that promote terrorist, extremist and destructive ideologies.”
The roundtable’s list of enemies was expansive and subsequently informed legislative action in the Duma on July 1. The list generated by Duma researchers included not only Satanists, but also the international LGBT movement (already banned by the Russian Supreme Court in 2023), abortion rights advocates, the Ukrainian Azov Brigade, and even the children’s animation series Cheburashka.
“Infernal phenomena are increasing and directly threatening national security,” Timofeeva warned.
State Duma lawmaker Vyacheslav Leontiyev described Satanism as a “misanthropic ideology based on the justification of evil” and alleged it was part of Western hybrid warfare aimed at destroying Russian values. Fellow legislator Andrei Kartapolov asked, “Who prints their books and posters? Who pays for their shows and performances? Who’s the customer?”
Bishop Pitirim of the Ryazan region added that the number of “magicians, psychics, tarot card readers, numerologists and witches” in Russia had reached 800,000, compared with just 40,000 Orthodox priests, presenting a clear challenge, in his view, to the spiritual authority of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus’, Kirill, had earlier called for Satanism to be banned entirely. Speaking in January 2025, he warned that “satanic sects…freely conduct their rituals in our country, recruit young people, and openly register their groups and communities on social networks.” He added that Russian soldiers on the front lines of the Ukraine conflict were defending values under threat from such groups.
Moscow Kremlin, Russia by Pavel Kazachkov [CCA 2.0]
This rhetoric has grown increasingly entangled with Russia’s war in Ukraine. Russian media has long used the far-right origins of the Azov Brigade, an elite unit within Ukraine’s National Guard, as propaganda, conflating far-right symbols with Rodnoverian and Satanist imagery. While Azov once used the Wolfsangel symbol and a stylized Kolovrat, the brigade has since distanced itself from these emblems and rejected extremist ideology.
Azov, now fully integrated into the Ukrainian military, is composed of soldiers from various religious and cultural backgrounds. Its traditions, such as the recitation of nationalist poems, are political, not religious, and have no known connection to Pagan or Satanic practice.
Still, Russian authorities continue to frame the war as a moral crusade against “neo-Nazis and pagans,” often falsely claiming that Azov soldiers engage in Satanic rituals.
As a result, the overall distrust of all Pagan beliefs, however inappropriately connected to modern Paganism, remains.
Independent Russian-language news outlet Meduza, based in Latvia, along with independent investigators, has found these claims to be baseless. The “International Movement of Satanists” does not appear to exist, at least not under that moniker. Meduza wrote that the Supreme Court has previously “also banned other fictitious movements” such as the “international LGBT movement” and then “used that designation to persecute LGBTQ+ individuals and censor artistic works.”
This distorted blending of political, religious, and cultural opposition points to a consistent and troubling pattern: Russian authorities, often aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church, are increasingly using vague, invented “movements” as a justification for suppressing dissent and diversity. Alongside the “International Satanist Movement,” the Russian Supreme Court has banned the “Columbine International Youth Movement” and other fictitious groups. The November 2023 ban on the “international LGBT movement” has led to the arrest of queer individuals, the censorship of films and books, and the suppression of LGBTQ+ rights organizations.
For Pagans, witches, occult practitioners, and spiritual minorities, the implications are especially concerning. Though these communities are not named in the Court’s ruling, the accusations of ritual practice, symbolic association, and metaphysical beliefs are easily misapplied. What begins with targeting Satanists can quickly extend to anyone whose spiritual practices fall outside of Orthodox or state-approved norms.
As Bishop Pitirim’s speech suggests, even tarot cards and astrology may be deemed dangerous. That reality, combined with increasing state surveillance and the criminalization of nonconformity, creates a hostile environment for religious freedom and spiritual expression.
Most Western governments, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, have issued strong advisories against all travel to Russia. These warnings are largely a result of the ongoing conflict with Ukraine and the broader security situation. Sanctions have made travel to and from Russia difficult and unreliable. Many countries have closed their airspace to Russian flights, and most commercial routes between Russia and Europe have been canceled. Sanctions have also severely restricted access to international financial services.
Nevertheless, there may be members of our community traveling or residing in Russia or the surrounding regions. Given that Russia’s sphere of influence remains substantial, its actions can create ripple effects in spaces where Pagans and their allies may live and practice. The Wild Hunt will continue to monitor developments and share information with the community.
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