Police guarding Lenin's mausoleum were in for a surprise Wednesday, when a visitor tried to contact the spirit world to save Russia from impending doom.
Officers' attention was first drawn to the woman from the Chuvashia republic after she unfurled a prayer rug on the paving stones by the mausoleum and prepared to pray, a police spokesperson told Interfax.
The 35-year-old woman was prevented from holding her seance, even though she attested that it was to protect the Russian state.
Fearing for her mental condition, police rang doctors, who whisked her away to a psychiatric clinic.
Several hours later, a drunken Ukrainian man was apprehended at the same spot after throwing empty beer bottles at Lenin's Mausoleum and criticizing Russian leadership, RIA-Novosti said. The man was also taken to a psychiatric facility.
Bookmakers are taking bets on whether Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin will be reburied in 2013, Oleg Zhuravsky, president of the National Association of Bookmakers, told Izvestia.
At present, more than 5,000 bets have been placed, Zhuravsky said, adding that the number of bets has risen since recently installed Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky spoke out in favor of reburying Lenin and turning his mausoleum into a museum.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
