November 30, 2023

Shaman in Prison, Evil Spirit at Large


Shaman in Prison, Evil Spirit at Large
Alexander Gabyshev, wearing a T-shirt that reads "The Shaman Goes." EseniaSofronova, Wikimedia Commons.

On November 22, shaman Alexander Gabyshev celebrated his 55th birthday, behind bars at a hospital. In their latest series on political prisoners, Mediazona recounted the story of the man who intended to walk from Yakutia for Moscow to exorcise President Vladimir Putin.

In March 2019, Gabyshev loaded a cart with a tent and a camp stove and set off on the 8,000-kilometer journey. According to the self-proclaimed "warrior shaman," God ordered him to exorcise Vladimir Putin, "the demon," on Red Square.

As Gabyshev's step count increased, so did his story's renown. When he reached Chita, 1,500 km along his journey, he was invited to speak at a Communist Party rally. By August, he had reached Buryatia. Gabyshev wasn't alone: on the way, people joined his march to Moscow. 

By the time Gabyshev had walked 3,000 km, his name had become known all across the country, and Russia's internal security service, the FSB, began investigating the shaman for "extremism."

As he was entering Irkutsk, Gabyshev was detained and sent back to Yakutsk for a psychiatric evaluation. Gabyshev was duly declared insane, and, after being detained in a hospital, was released. His "extremism" case was closed. The shaman drew a lightning sign on his face to symbolize "God's wrath."

In January 2021, 50 National Guard soldiers raided Gabyshev's home. The shaman resisted with a fireplace poker and a Yakutian knife, wounding an OMON guard in the leg. Gabyshev's lawyer has argued there is no proof the shaman inflicted the injuries, as his house was in complete darkness when riot police broke in.

Gabyshev has been under arrest for attacking a security officer ever since. He is currently at a psychiatric hospital under the sort of intensive observation usually reserved for serial killers. Courts have continuously extended his detention at the hospital, which, unlike in penal colonies, has no limit.

You Might Also Like

Integration through Education?
  • October 08, 2023

Integration through Education?

Russian President Putin stressed the importance of education in regions newly annexed from Ukraine. But is there a more sinister motive at play?
One Country, Two Wars
  • September 16, 2023

One Country, Two Wars

The Kremlin is currently conducting not one, but two horrific wars.
Flagpole Ripper
  • April 13, 2023

Flagpole Ripper

A man was arrested for tearing down a Russian flag at a police department.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955