Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Russian families turn to clairvoyants for missing soldiers in Ukraine war
Many families in Russia are very sad because their loved ones who went to fight in a war did not come home.
Some of these soldiers are missing, and nobody can tell the families what happened to them.
So the families are asking special people, like fortune tellers and tarot card readers, for help.
These helpers try to talk to people who have died or guess if a missing person is still alive.
One woman asked online for help finding out what happened to a missing soldier named Sergei.
People are downloading magic and fortune-telling apps on their phones much more than before.
A survey found that most Russians have tried some kind of magic.
The people behind the survey think hard times in the country make people look for comfort.
They say belief becomes a tool that helps people feel safe when things are scary.
Russian families are increasingly consulting clairvoyants, tarot readers and occult practitioners about relatives killed or missing in the war in Ukraine.
A woman identified as Tatyana posted a photo of missing soldier Sergei on Vkontakte with a plea for help from mystics to determine his fate.
Some families pay practitioners to contact servicemen believed dead, while others ask card readers if missing soldiers are still alive or seek protective spells.
RuStore downloads of astrology, fortune-telling and tarot apps reached 103,000 between January and July, up 96 per cent from the same period last year.
A VTsIOM survey found about 85 per cent of Russians have experimented with some form of magic, linking the trend to geopolitical and economic challenges.
- Who
- Russian families, including a woman identified as Tatyana, and occult practitioners such as clairvoyants, tarot readers and mystics.
- What
- Families are turning to clairvoyants and other occult practitioners to contact relatives killed or missing in the war in Ukraine.
- When
- Referred to as a growing recent trend; app download data covers January to July of the current year, and a VTsIOM survey was conducted earlier this year.
- Where
- Russia, including postings on Vkontakte and downloads from RuStore.
- Why
- Because of mounting Russian military losses and the war's effects on families at home, with VTsIOM linking belief in magic to psychological defence amid military threats.
Families and practitioners seeking spiritual contact
Critics viewing occult practices as exploitation or unfounded
Value of occult consultation
Families and practitioners seeking spiritual contact
Clairvoyants and mystics provide psychological comfort and a way to seek answers about the fate of missing relatives.
Critics viewing occult practices as exploitation or unfounded
These practices exploit vulnerable families and cannot provide real information about soldiers' fates.
- Religion / Practice
- Clairvoyants, tarot readers, mystics and occult practitioners
- Platform Mentioned
- Vkontakte (Russia's equivalent of Facebook)
- App Store Mentioned
- RuStore (Russia's equivalent of Google Play)
- Mystic App Downloads (Jan-Jul)
- 103,000, up 96% year-on-year
- Magic Experimentation Survey
- About 85% of Russians, per VTsIOM
- Missing Soldier Status Date
- Missing in action since June 12, 2026 (Sergei)
- Sources Cited
- The Telegraph, Vedomosti, VTsIOM