Russia’s Supreme Court has ruled to recognize the “international Satanism movement” as an extremist organization and ban it across the country, Mediazona reported.
The case was brought by the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Justice Ministry. Russian Orthodox Church head Patriarch Kirill first floated the idea of designating Satanism as an illegal “extremist movement” in January 2025.
While various occult movements and cults linked to Satanism do exist around the world, Meduza was unable to find any open-source evidence of an “international Satanism movement.”
According to Russian prosecutors, the “international Satanism movement” is based on an extremist ideology rooted in hatred and hostility toward traditional religious faiths, and is closely tied to radical nationalism and neo-Nazism. Prosecutors claim that adherents of the movement have called for the destruction and desecration of Orthodox churches, chapels, and roadside crosses, and have carried out occult rituals and ritual killings.
In November 2023, Russia banned the non-existent “international LGBT movement.” Authorities have since used that designation to persecute LGBTQ+ individuals and censor artistic works. The Supreme Court has also banned other fictitious movements, including the “Columbine international youth movement,” and the “anti-Russian separatist movement.”
