Siberian shaman sparks outrage with plan to sacrifice dozens of animals to help Vladimir Putin win Ukraine war

A self-proclaimed shaman in Russia’s Irkutsk region has ignited intense backlash from animal rights groups and fellow spiritual leaders after announcing plans to sacrifice 60 camels over the course of a year to help Russia win the war in Ukraine.

Artur Tsybikov, 53, who heads the "Eternal Blue Sky" shamanic organisation in the city of Angarsk, revealed the plan in a video address published in late October.

Tsybikov explained that he intends to launch the sacrificial ceremonies in November, slaughtering five camels every month over a 12-month period to appeal to Slavic gods for forgiveness, help, and military success.

Speaking to the Russia-based news outlet Lyudi Baykala, Tsybikov defended the planned rituals, claiming they are necessary to cleanse the country and secure an outright battlefield victory.

The reasoning behind the macabre proposal

Tsybikov stated that he believes the ceremonies will eliminate negative energies across Russia and declared that he wants the war against Ukraine to end as soon as possible with a decisive Russian triumph.

While the gruesome scheme has made headlines, authorities note there is currently no verified information that any of the 60 camels have yet been sacrificed, with the situation remaining limited to the plan announced by Tsybikov.

However, the macabre proposal is not the first time Tsybikov has sparked national revulsion through mass animal sacrifice.

In 2019, Tsybikov led a ritual in the Irkutsk region where five camels were slaughtered and parts of the animals were burned in a ceremonial fire.

Video footage of the act triggered widespread backlash across Russia and prompted regional prosecutors to launch an official investigation.

Following that ceremony, Tsybikov was handed a nominal fine of 3,000 rubles—not for the slaughter itself, but because the camels had been transported without required permits from veterinary authorities.

His gruesome proposal would see 60 animals slaughtered in the hopes of appeasing the gods and allowing a Russian victory (@nexta_tv/X)

Backlash from fellow shamans

Tsybikov's latest wartime announcement has split the spiritual community, drawing sharp rebukes from prominent indigenous leaders who reject his methods.

Tuvan shaman Aleftina Sagaan-Ool pushed back against Tsybikov’s practices, making clear that sacrificing camels is entirely alien to her people's traditions.

Kara-Ool Dopchun-Ool, one of the foremost figures in Russia’s wider shamanic community, previously condemned Tsybikov’s bloody 2019 ritual, arguing that such sacrifices are completely incompatible with traditional shamanism.

Animal rights advocates have joined spiritual figures in calling for authorities to intervene and stop the planned ceremonies before the monthly slaughters begin.

A divisive ritual sparks internal feud

Camels, while historically associated with high-status offerings in select nomadic Central Asian rituals due to their immense value and endurance, are deeply sacred within traditional Tuvan, Buryat, and Mongolian spiritual traditions.

Dopchun-ool's declaration has caused an explosive rift among indigenous Siberian religious leaders, who vehemently condemned the proposal as unhinged sacrilege.

Rival shamans and regional organisations—including the influential shamanic society Tengeri based in Ulan-Ude—openly denounced the stunt, pointing out that true shamanic principles are rooted in harmony with the natural world rather than blood sacrifices intended to advance geopolitical bloodshed.

Community elders warned that butchering dozens of sacred animals for wartime propaganda brings severe spiritual catastrophe rather than blessing, calling the scheme an obscene desecration of indigenous customs.

He previously slaughtered 5 camels back in 2019, three years before Russia invaded Ukraine (Getty Stock Images)

The occult underbelly of Moscow’s war machine

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, fringe occultists and ultra-nationalist figures have increasingly aligned themselves with Kremlin rhetoric, attempting to weaponise local folklore and traditional faiths to justify the war effort.

While the Russian Orthodox Church remains the state's central religious partner, state media outlets have occasionally spotlighted shamans performing blessing ceremonies for drafted troops and handing out protective amulets bound for the frontlines.

Animal protection advocates within Russia are demanding that regional prosecutors step in to block any attempts to carry out the mass slaughter, while regional authorities in Siberia have so far distanced themselves from the proposal.