According to a report by AFP News Agency on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, Russia placed what it described as the “international Satanism movement” on its financial blacklist, granting authorities the power to freeze the assets of alleged members, even in the absence of any criminal convictions.
The move follows a pattern in Moscow in recent years, where vaguely defined groups have been added to Russia’s official list of “terrorists and extremists.” Previous additions include the “international LGBT movement” and the “anti-Russian separatist movement.” Critics argue that these broadly defined categories allow prosecutors to target political opponents under the guise of combating extremism.
Russia’s Supreme Court officially declared the “international Satanism movement” extremist in July. Prosecutors accused members of desecrating Orthodox Christian churches and spreading “hatred,” claiming the group is closely linked to radical nationalism and neo-Nazi ideologies.
In a statement at the time, Russia’s prosecutor general described the movement as a threat to social stability and public morality.
The decision has also received backing from influential figures in the Russian Orthodox Church. Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Church, voiced support for the ban earlier this year, accusing members of conducting harmful “rituals” and attempting to recruit young people.
At a Kremlin ceremony, Kirill warned, “Think about it… Our soldiers are ready to give their lives for values that are clearly being trampled upon by Satanists.”
Rosfinmonitoring, the federal agency responsible for maintaining the financial blacklist of terrorists and extremists, officially added the group to its list on Friday, according to its website.
The designation allows the Russian government to freeze bank accounts, seize assets, and limit financial activities linked to the movement.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
