A Siberian shaman who says he wants to rid Russia of 'demon' Vladimir Putin was arrested today after making a second attempt to trek across the country. Alexei Pryanishnikov, a co-ordinator for the rights group, said he expected authorities to formally charge Gabyshev after the arrest. The self-styled shaman has been compared to Rasputin, the mystic who gained a mysterious influence over Tsar Nicholas II before the Russian Revolution. His simply expressed statements about Putin captured public attention, prompting opposition protests as well as reports on pro-Kremlin television. He explained before his first detention: 'God told me that Putin is not a human but a demon, which I must expel.

Source: Daily Mail December 10, 2019 19:29 UTC