On Monday, July 1, the Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, turned its attention to a burning social issue: the fight against "Satanism." MPs, Orthodox priests and propagandists met in Moscow to determine the outlines of this evil, something they see as a form of extremism. Dubbed the "round table," the meeting was chaired by General Vladimir Shamanov, MP for Ulyanovsk, a former commander of Russian forces during the two Chechen wars (1994-1996 then 1999-2009), known for his brutality towards civilians.

The session began with the screening of a video warning against so-called "diabolic" accessories: pentagram-shaped pendants, "demonic" masks and costumes, hairpins shaped like "devil horns." There was no debate, as everyone was in agreement. "We need a firm stance, not discussions, but a complete ban on all organizations that promote terrorist, extremist and destructive ideologies," stressed MP Olga Timofeeva.

A list has been drawn up, including LGBT people, abortion rights advocates, members of the Azov unit of the Ukrainian armed forces, Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram), the Cheburashka animated film series and others. "Infernal phenomena are increasing and directly threatening national security," said Timofeeva. Moreover, she noted that "occult forces have prevented the Duma from passing a law against this evil eight times already." Is the Lower House contaminated? The devil is everywhere, especially on the Ukrainian front, where "Russian military personnel are finding satanic objects in the trenches."

The MP's statements were endorsed by the president of the Russian Orthodox Church's Patriarchal Commission for Motherhood and Childhood, priest Fyodor Loukianov. Satanism, he stressed, must be fought "to ensure the protection and security not only of today's generations but also of those to come."

The participants welcomed the fact that the authorities were not standing idle. Control has been tightened in the field of information and laws have been passed on "fake news" and on "discrediting" the army, which have already sent hundreds of Russian opponents to prison. Patriotic education must be strengthened, said the participants, notably through courses taught in schools and colleges by contract workers returning from the front. "As our president says, today it's teachers, not military leaders, who win wars," said MP Timofeeva at the end of the session.