Chechen TV channel blames local woman for witchcraft
Chechen law enforcers have detained Larisa Zakrailova, a local resident, for providing occult services. Adam Elzhurkaev, a doctor at the Centre for Islamic Medicine, has scolded her on the air of the “Grozny” Chechen State TV and Radio Company (ChSTRC), after which the woman "repented."
A campaign to persecute people who declared themselves healers, psychics, magicians and sorcerers has been on in Chechnya for many years. It was first declared by the head of the republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, in 2013, when dozens of people were detained, some went missing. Then the campaign began to wane, but in 2019, the persecution of residents for occultism intensified again.
The story broadcast by the "Grozny" ChSTRC was dedicated to the 56-year-old Larisa Zakrailova. She allegedly "had been engaged in fraud" for over 10 years by providing occult services.
According to the author of the report, Zakrailova has admitted that she was involved in removing curses, "love spells", making "amulets for good luck" and "removing energy barriers". The TV presenter characterizes her activities as "destroying marriages." The woman allegedly had a "large flow of clients" who paid "a lot of money" for her occult services, but received "no results."
The woman's brother and son were present at the interview; and the author declared that they "are responsible for her actions."
Larisa Zakrailova "has repented," publicly promising that she would no longer engage in occultism. The presenter has emphasized that her words "cannot be trusted," so the woman was released only "under receipt of her sons."
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 21, 2025 at 05:38 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Source: Caucasian Knot