Vladimir Putin allegedly consulted Mongolian shamans regarding the potential deployment of nuclear weapons, according to Russian sources.
The Russian leader has long been recognised for his “special attitude to mysticism” throughout the years, with speculation emerging in 2018 that he bathed in Siberian red deer blood to enhance his vitality.
Nevertheless, during his trip to Mongolia in early September this year, it’s alleged that Putin advanced his mystical convictions even further, reports the Daily Star. The news comes on the same day Russia warns ‘there will be no peace’ and threatens to seize more of Ukraine.
Mikhail Zygar, founder of the prohibited opposition channel TV Dozhd, indicated that Putin possesses a strong fascination with “pagan traditions.”
In a piece for the German news website Der Spiegel, Zygar penned: “Mongolia and Tuva are considered the home of the most powerful shamans in the world. Vladimir Putin has long been known for his special attitude towards mysticism. And he apparently combines his interest in Orthodox mysticism with pagan traditions.”
Mongolia maintains membership of the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for Putin last year following his deportation of Ukrainian children.
Despite the warrant, Mongolian authorities failed to apprehend Putin during his visit, citing their substantial dependence on Russia as justification for their inaction.
Zygar proposed that Putin was prepared to risk detention to seek counsel from the spirits. The Kremlin has rejected recent claims put forward by an opposition figure, declaring: “The mentioned circumstances related to the Russian President’s visit to Mongolia in September 2024 have no connection to reality.”
This marks not Putin’s initial venture into mysticism – he allegedly consulted spiritual advisers before his 2012 invasion of Ukraine.
According to a report last year, Russian state media asserted that the nation’s “supreme shaman” Kara-ool Dopchun-ool had called upon ‘the sun, the moon and the stars’ to safeguard Kremlin forces in Ukraine, all at Putin’s request.