Corpse water, burned herbs, harrowing rituals: How Ukraine turned to magic in its war against Russia

"Yulia Mendel, former press secretary to Vladimir Zelensky, has made claims that would once have sounded like tabloid fantasy. Yet in today’s Ukraine, they land differently. Mendel says that Andrey Yermak, long the powerful head of the presidential office, allegedly sought help from magicians. People who, she claims, gathered water from corpses, burned herbs, and performed rituals.
She says she first heard whispers of this in 2019. After a briefing, a journalist did not chase

the then new president for comments but repeatedly asked Yermak what he had been doing at a cemetery. He ignored the question. A year later, a minister confided to Mendel that Yermak was “into magic.” By 2023, someone from an “important service” told her he supposedly kept a “chest of the dead.” These were dolls made by magicians from Latin America, Israel, and Georgia. That chest, she says, was already “filled with the dead.” Interpret that as you wish.
Mendel added that Yermak is not unique. Magical thinking, she suggested, is widespread among Ukrainian elites. That may sound exaggerated, but anyone who has travelled through western Ukraine knows mysticism is deeply rooted there. I once toured the Lviv region and the Carpathians out of sociological curiosity. In village after village, people spoke of a neighbor who was “a witch,” able to make children fall ill or cows stop giving milk with a single glance. They feared her, yet sought her out at night to cast spells against enemies.
Once, during a packed church holiday service, this “witch” entered. I saw people faint. Later I learned she had come for holy water and candles to place in graves. It was not her own idea, but at the request of a devout villager who had been praying moments before. The pattern was clear: society appoints a witch, fears her, and uses her. 

Church by day,

 spells by night. 

Both yours and ours.
This mindset is not confined to rural backwaters. It permeates Ukrainian culture. Soviet-era Ukrainian art reflected it. Folk songs spoke of witches cursing enemies. Even modern “social advertising” featured Lviv actresses dressed as witches, theatrically beheading men. Such imagery takes root only in a society comfortable with pagan mysticism.
If Mendel is right, Zelensky’s circle did not even limit itself to local traditions. Latin American shamanism, with its animal sacrifices and bone-and-flesh talismans, is far removed from Gogol’s Ukraine. To seek out such practices suggests obsession, not folklore." RT

5.4 Earthquake - 114 km SSW of Abepura, Indonesia

"A strong magnitude 5.4 earthquake hit 114 km SSW of Abepura, Indonesia, in the afternoon at 4.35 pm local time (Asia/Jayapura GMT +9). The depth of the quake could not be determined, but is assumed to be shallow. The quake was reported felt by some people near the epicenter." VD

5.9 Earthquake - Banda Sea, 21 km northeast of Pulau Maopora Island, Maluku, Indonesia

"A strong magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred in the Banda Sea near Pulau Maopora island,
Indonesia, in the early morning at 3.38 am local time (Asia/Jayapura GMT +9). The quake had a moderate depth of 159 km (99 mi) and was reported felt by some people near the epicenter." VD

Russian forces launch 143 attacks

"Russian army has attacked Ukrainian defensive positions 143 times.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, four combat engagements have been recorded since the start of the day. In this sector of the front, the Russians have already shelled settlements and positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces 40 times, including twice with multiple launch rocket systems.
In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, the invaders have attempted five times to improve their position in the areas of Starytsia, Prylipka, Vovchansk, Vovchanski Khutory, and Chuhunivka. One of their attacks is ongoing.

In the Kupiansk sector, Russian troops carried out six assaults in the areas of Petropavlivka, Kurylivka, and Novoplatonivka.
In the Lyman sector, Ukrainian forces repelled three enemy attempts to advance toward Novoselivka, Stavky, and Drobysheve. One of the invaders’ assaults is still ongoing.
In the Sloviansk sector, the Russian Federation’s army twice attempted to advance on the defenders’ positions toward Zakitne and Rai-Oleksandrivka. One of its assaults is ongoing.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the Russians attempted to advance three times toward Nykyforivka, Kucheriv Yar, and Predtechyne.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, the enemy launched 23 attacks near Kostiantynivka, Sofiivka, Kleban-Byk, Ivanopil, Illinivka, Pleshchiivka, Berestok, Yablunivka, and Novopavlivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the invaders attempted 46 times to dislodge Ukrainian defenders from their positions near Bilytske, Nove Shakhove, Rodynske, Chervonyi Lyman, Myrnohrad, Shevchenko, Hryshyne, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Novomykolaivka, Molodetske, Dachne, and Filiia. Three enemy attacks are ongoing.
In the Oleksandrivka sector, the Russian army launched 16 attacks toward Ivanivka, Zelenyi Hai, Oleksandrohrad, Andriivka-Klevtsove, Sichneve, Sosnivka, Verbove, and Zlahoda. Three of its assaults are ongoing.
In the Huliaipole sector, the Russians carried out 27 attacks toward the positions of the Defense Forces in the areas of Dobropillia, Zaliznychne, Hirke, Huliaipole, Varvarivka, Olenokostiantynivka, Huliaipole, and Myrne. Four enemy assaults are ongoing." 

Ukrin