In Kharkiv region, Azov military personnel set up pagan shrine
The opening of the shrine to Svaroh in the Kharkiv region. Photo: Sicheslavsky's Facebook
In Kharkiv region, servicemen of the 96th separate support battalion of the 3rd Army Corps, formed by former Azov members, opened a pagan shrine of Svaroh.
A representative of the neo-pagan organization "Native Faith" took part in the ritual of opening and consecrating the shrine, performing a rite of invocation to the pagan deity – the so-called "Heavenly Smith" Svaroh. Representatives of the organization expressed special gratitude to the commander of the 96th support battalion, Serhiy Tishchenko, on whose initiative and with whose direct support the arrangement of the pagan shrine became possible.
According to the pagans, the created shrine is intended to become a "place of power" for the military, where they can address pagan deities before being sent on missions.
Historically, the cult of Svaroh and his son Svarozhich among West Slavic tribes was associated with pagan sacrifices. In particular, the medieval chronicler Thietmar of Merseburg recorded that in the West Slavic cult of Svarozhich, captured Christians were sacrificed to idols during wars with the Germans.
Previously, the UOJ reported that "Azov" held a "sacred mystery" for the Day of the Dead.
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