October 28, 2026

No Satanism in Russian Halloween


No Satanism in Russian Halloween
Jack-o'-lanterns in the dark.
Petr Kratochvil, Wikimedia Commons.

On October 24, a lawyer gave an interview to the government news outlet RIA Novosti to advise its readers on how to avoid legal trouble during Halloween. The attorney urged readers not to use "Satanic" symbols, so as not to be associated with an "extremist movement" in Russia.

Lawyer Oleg Zernov sat down with RIA to warn about the upcoming Halloweekend, urging no pentagrams, images of Satan, or upside-down crosses. The attorney told the publication that he'd heard of cases where people got in trouble simply for using such symbols while advertising Halloween events. "In this sense," Zernov said, "it is better to avoid the use of symbols that can have an association with Satanism, for example, the number 666." He said that using such symbols can lead to judicial orders to confiscate individuals' phones.

According to Zernov, last year over a hundred administrative decisions were issued convicting residents for the public use of satanic symbolism during Halloween. He said that, while the majority of these decisions applied to the use of images of Satan and other symbols on social media, having such symbolism on one's clothing can also end up in legal investigations.

On July 23, 2025, the Russian Supreme Court declared the "International Satanist Movement" as "extremist" and banned it in Russia. 

You Might Also Like

Doomsday Data Centers
  • October 19, 2026

Doomsday Data Centers

The search for the perfect doomsday data center turns to abandoned underground mines in the Arctic.
Arrest, Camera, Action
  • October 15, 2026

Arrest, Camera, Action

The FSB is turning arrests in propaganda. A study of 70 politically motivated cases reveals staged footage, scripted confessions, and video designed to intimidate government critics.
Russia's AI Ambitions Under Fire
  • October 22, 2026

Russia's AI Ambitions Under Fire

Ukrainian drones hit Yandex's supercomputers, potentially setting Russia's AI ambitions back years and putting it behind Kazakhstan.
Cartoons vs Kremlin
  • October 19, 2026

Cartoons vs Kremlin

Russian cartoonist Oleg Kuvaev was sentenced in absentia over a critical anti-war episode of his series “Masyanya.”
A Hypnotist's Final Act
  • October 16, 2026

A Hypnotist's Final Act

Famed Russian TV hypnotist Anatoly Kashpirovsky, known for his mass healing shows, died at 87.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

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.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

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.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

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.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

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.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, 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