Enver Izmailov

Bhaktivedanta Sadhu Swami Maharaj

Enver Izmailov

Propaganda:

Overall position: Ukraine and Russia are one civilization, but Ukraine has embraced demonism and must be returned to the spiritual — therefore this conflict is just.

General position on the war in Ukraine:

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Izmailov has systematically published video lectures in which he justifies the war, denies its aggressive character, and redirects his followers' attention toward pseudo-spiritual narratives.

Propaganda resources on social media:

  • ndialektika.ru — official website of the School of Asymmetric Dialectics
  • almanah.ndialektika.ru — database of the School of Asymmetric Dialectics
  • youtube.com/@Enver_Izmailov — personal YouTube channel (12,300 subscribers)
  • vk.ru/sadhuswami — personal VKontakte page (6,400 followers)
  • vk.ru/sadhusvami — VKontakte lectures page (731 followers)
  • instagram.com/enverizmailov108 — Instagram (5,800 followers)
  • youtube.com/@SHLIS — ShLiS channel (School of Leadership and Cooperation), 11,300 subscribers
  • dzen.ru/enver_izmailov — Yandex Zen (238 subscribers)

Passport name:

Enver Izmailov

Spiritual name:

Bhaktivedanta Sadhu Swami Maharaj

Date of birth:

01.07.1967

Citizenship:

Russian Federation

City and country of residence:

Russian Federation

Biography and Influence:

  • Member of the Supreme Council of the Society for Krishna Consciousness in Russia. Advisor to the President of the BRICS Union on conceptual and interfaith matters. Founder of the School of Asymmetric Dialectics (ndialektika.ru). Maintains a personal YouTube channel (@Enver_Izmailov) and the joint ShLiS channel (School of Leadership and Cooperation). Combined social media audience — approximately 36,000 followers across YouTube, VKontakte, Instagram, and Yandex Zen.

✖ SIGNS OF CRIME

Public support for Russian aggression against Ukraine

Izmailov publicly justifies Russian aggression against Ukraine using religious-philosophical language. This includes:

  • Theological justification of war: through the concept of "demonism," legitimized Russia's military actions as a necessary "spiritual war,"
  • Denial of Ukraine's subjecthood: consistently positions Ukraine as part of "Russian civilization," denying its national identity and sovereignty,
  • Denial of international law: explicitly stated that legal questions (sovereignty, borders) are not a basis for evaluating the conflict,
  • Collaboration with Dugin: a public interview links ISKCON to the imperialist ideology of the "Russian World."

→ This contradicts the foundational principles of Vaishnavism, in particular the principle of ahimsa (non-violence).

Facilitation or incitement to war crimes

Izmailov's rhetoric provides ideological cover for the continuation of Russian war crimes:

  • Theological justification of aggressive war: framing the war as a just "spiritual" response to Ukraine's "demonism" cultivates tolerance for the international crime of aggression among his followers,
  • Demobilization of war opponents: calls to "take no sides" and focus on "spiritual technology" neutralize anti-war positions among followers,
  • Nuremberg Principles (VI(a) and VII, 1950): public theological justification for aggressive war may qualify as complicity in a crime against peace. The use of religious authority to propagandize on behalf of an aggressor state gives such actions particular social danger.

Spiritual responsibility toward followers

A spiritual leader who uses Vedic rhetoric to theologically justify an aggressive war betrays the foundational principle of ahimsa (non-violence).

Izmailov turns his followers' spiritual search into an instrument of war support: instead of calling for compassion and non-violence — legitimization of killing through the concept of "demonism"; instead of honest engagement with reality — avoidance of reflection on the war under the guise of "spiritual concentration."

Manipulation of religion in the interests of the aggressor state

Izmailov systematically uses religious-philosophical authority to promote official Russian narratives:

  • Role as BRICS advisor: an official government position directly indicates the integration of his religious activities into the mechanisms of Russian "soft power,"
  • Collaboration with Dugin: the joint interview with the leading ideologist of Russian imperialism creates a semantic link between the Vaishnava tradition and imperialist ideology,
  • School of Asymmetric Dialectics: the project functions as a platform for disseminating Russian geopolitical narratives in pseudo-spiritual packaging.

→ Izmailov has turned a religious structure into an instrument of Kremlin propaganda, compromising the international ISKCON community.

Potential Legal Violations

Enver Izmailov's actions fall under the following legal norms:

  • Article 436² of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — justification, recognition as lawful, or denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine: public statements in which the war is theologically justified as "just" directly constitute this offense,
  • Article 110 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ukraine: denial of Ukraine's separate identity and sovereignty through the narrative of a "single civilization,"
  • Article 20 of the ICCPR — prohibition of war propaganda: public statements that legitimize war through the concept of "demonism" constitute war propaganda prohibited by an international treaty binding on Russia as a state party to the ICCPR.

→ The totality of documented actions provides legal grounds for initiating criminal proceedings in Ukraine. Ukraine may seek an international investigation of Izmailov's activities through Interpol or within the framework of a future special tribunal on crimes of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Conclusion

Enver Khadzhumuratovich Izmailov (Bhaktivedanta Sadhu Swami Maharaj) through his actions:

  • Theologically justified Russian aggression against Ukraine through the concept of "demonism,"
  • Denied the existence of an independent Ukrainian people and sovereign state,
  • Denied the international legal grounds for evaluating the conflict,
  • Framed the war as a positive "systemic transition," devaluing human casualties,
  • Publicly collaborated with Alexander Dugin — ideologist of the "Russian World,"
  • Used religious authority to demobilize opponents of the war,
  • Must be publicly condemned by the international Vaishnava community and ISKCON leadership.

EXAMPLES OF STATEMENTS

«If you see that destruction is coming from the other side... if this person threatens you, then you start a war.»

When the search for truth is impossible — Enver Izmailov

Timecode: 0:36

If you see that destruction is coming from the other side, you have two options: if this person does not threaten you, but dialogue simply did not work out, you simply distance yourself from this and continue doing your work with those who are sincerely inclined toward progress. But if this person threatens you, then you start a war.

«If a person or group is infected with demonism, then dialogue becomes impossible. Only real war becomes possible.»

Is war justified when agreement on truth is impossible — Enver Izmailov

Timecode: 0:07

If a person, after hearing a sincere question — "Are we ready to go toward a joint transformation for the satisfaction of the Creator? Are we ready to be devoted to truth, not just our own truth?" — does not engage in sincere dialogue, does not make a sincere movement, then such a society or person is infected with demonism. There are 2 types of consciousness: divine, when the vector of our consciousness is directed toward truth, and demonic, when the vector of consciousness is directed exclusively toward power — toward the establishment of one's own interests, toward establishing the order of things that suits me and the community that serves my interests or whose interests I serve. If a person or group is infected with demonism, then dialogue becomes impossible. Only real war becomes possible.

«Ukraine and Russia are one civilization in reality. People simply need to return to the root from which their soul receives nourishment and convictions.»

Everything without love is dead. Interview about Russia's special path — Enver Izmailov

Timecode: 21:13

When this conflict [the Russian-Ukrainian war] is discussed, people usually say that Russia attacked another country, you violated the rights of the people there, you crossed a foreign border — everything is considered from a legal standpoint. But to engage in dialogue, one needs to talk not about legal questions, but about root questions related to historical justice. Did we communicate with each other, or did we simply try to advance our own interests at each other's expense — that is, we acted unjustly toward each other. These are the questions that need to be discussed to overcome the root of the problem, but people mostly look at the situation from the standpoint of their own interests. Ukrainian nationalism arises. Russian nationalists also emerge, saying: "We are stronger." This again is not a view from the standpoint of justice — we too have this toxin within our civilization. Therefore, to resolve these internal problems within one civilization — and Ukraine and Russia are one civilization in reality — people simply need to return to the root from which their soul receives nourishment and convictions. What is justice in reality, and where was justice violated? Why did we go down this path? If people began to discuss these questions openly, without accusing each other through the prism of political and propagandistic narratives, but directly — the situation would heal very quickly.

«When people say "we agreed, we signed the Minsk agreements," but inner agreement did not happen — that means we are creating conditions for external war, and an uncompromising one.»

Is peace between people possible? Enver Izmailov and Metropolitan Tikhon

Timecode: 7:42

When people say on the surface: "Everything is fine, we agreed, we signed some Minsk agreements or something like that," but inner agreement did not happen — then what does that mean? It means we are creating conditions for external war, and an uncompromising one.

«War is always a way to transition to a qualitatively different state. It is always a way to reconstruct society, values, and civilization.»

What awaits the world after the war — Enver Izmailov

Timecode: 0:05

War is always a challenge, always an opportunity for a systemic transition, and those who start a war, those who initiate it, who provoke it — that may be one plan, but when war begins — it is always a risk. Therefore war is always a way to transition to a qualitatively different state. That is, it is always a way to reconstruct society, values, and civilization. My understanding is that in this case, in the form in which we are now experiencing war, it represents a certain split of the world into two sides: one side believes that justice must somehow be achieved, while the other side believes that everything should remain as it is — preserving this world order, this dishonest structure in which people live not for truth but simply for material prosperity. Therefore the battle is not between Russia and the West, or, as some think, Ukraine — I understand that there are Ukrainians who believe Russia is fighting against them as a people, but no Russian man thinks that way. So this war is between two value systems. In reality the war is also happening inside Russia, because what is now occurring means that these two value systems are coming to the surface. Those who hold the view that everything must be preserved to have the opportunity to grow rich and fill their pockets — and those who believe one must fight, that the situation must be completely changed, that a just social order must be restored. And these people exist both in Russia and in Ukraine. Therefore this war is in essence an ideological war. The people may awaken as a result of this war — it is a certain chance for all who have agency. This is the positive aspect of what is happening now, however cynical that may sound given that enormous numbers of people are dying and children are losing their parents — this is the price civilization must pay. There is the United Nations, there are other organizations that supposedly establish peace, but in reality the people within them never reveal their cards — dialogue exists only to establish some compromise so each side can play its own game. And when that strategy reaches a dead end, what happens happens.

«Current Russia subjects itself to an Eastern paradigm — this is autocracy. And another part of the Russian world, further west — that is Ukraine. It gravitates toward the Western paradigm. Russian civilization is simply breaking apart into an eastern wing and a western wing.»

Russia's Third Path — Enver Izmailov and Alexander Dugin

Timecode: 8:35

Current Russia, it subjects itself to an Eastern paradigm — this is autocracy, deprivation of a person, a kind of tightening of screws, establishment of control, and the other part of the Russian world that is located further west — that is Ukraine, those are other Slavic peoples, they gravitate toward the Western paradigm with the granting of the so-called freedoms of the individual, this transgender policy, depriving a person of family and so on. This is what is happening now. That is, this inner Russian civilization is simply breaking apart into an eastern wing and a western wing.

«Since a conflict [the Russian-Ukrainian war] began — at least on the external plane we observe it — we [russia] began to gravitate again toward the East.»

Forecast for the future: what awaits humanity in the coming years — Enver Izmailov and Oleg Bakhtiyarov

Timecode: 29:12

Поскольку начался некий конфликт [российско-украинская война], ну, по крайней мере, на внешнем плане мы его наблюдаем, вот, мы [россия] начали опять тяготеть к Востоку.

«We are victims in this situation, so we need to close ourselves off from what is happening and wait out this storm. That choice is a temptation — and many people are making exactly that choice.»

How to be proactive in the current situation — Enver Izmailov

Discussion context: Diverting attention from the war through pseudo-spirituality

Timecode: 0:55

Мы — жертвы в этой ситуации, что нам прилетает, поэтому нам нужно закрыться от того, что происходит, переждать где-то эту бурю каким-то образом. Такой выбор, который является соблазном. Я сейчас смотрю по многим людям — они делают именно такой выбор, даже внутри нашего проекта есть такие люди, у которых есть тенденция закрыться. Даже знание, которое мы изучаем, для некоторых является таким способом объяснить происходящее и просто использовать это знание, чтобы внутренне найти какое-то утешение, а вовсе не для того, чтобы принять вызов, принять ответственность за то, что происходит. Понятно, что мы не можем принять ответственность за весь этот мир. Это не требуется, это невозможно для живого существа. Потому что есть Высший замысел и то, что происходит, происходит по Высшему замыслу. Совершенно очевидно, что мы можем очертить тот круг природы, который непосредственно выделен нам. Это определенная сфера отношений, сфера, с которой мы связаны, от которой нам приходят определенные сигналы и которую мы, зачастую, игнорируем. Очертив эту сферу, мы можем начать наводить порядок, то есть начать совершать действия из своей осознанности, своей проактивности, своего понимания природы, своего понимания цели жизни, смысла жизни, для того, чтобы, во-первых, самому себя почувствовать слугой Господа в этих ситуациях. Что ты делаешь то, что можешь, ты принял вызов от своего учителя, которым выступает как раз природа, и ты действуешь как ученик.

«What is our responsibility in this war — that is the question. Not which side to take. Nobody will manage to wait it out, because everything we are seeing now is only the beginning.»

How to see your responsibility for what is happening — Enver Izmailov

Discussion context: Diverting attention from the war through pseudo-spirituality

Timecode: 0:07

Какова наша ответственность в этой войне – вот в чем вопрос. Не в том, какую сторону принять, ни в том как спрятаться куда-нибудь, в уютное местечко, переждать это все. Не получится переждать ни у кого, потому что все, что мы сейчас видим, – это только начало. Вы уж меня простите, но это только начало. Мы ведь с самого начала говорили, что нужно принимать реальность, а не убегать от неё. Давайте примем, что это только начало. И это будет продолжаться, пока мы не ухватим духовную технологию: как не просто противостоять демоническим технологиям, а как одухотворять природу.

«Instead of worrying about what is happening, that war is ongoing — one must focus on divinity. That is what we concentrate on.»

What it means to take responsibility for the world — Enver Izmailov

Discussion context: Diverting attention from the war through pseudo-spirituality

Timecode: 0:49

Вместо того, чтобы переживать по поводу того, что там что-то не так происходит на глобальном уровне, война происходит, происходят какие-то несправедливости, происходят, значит, цивилизационные какие-то процессы странные. То есть вместо того, чтобы быть сосредоточенными на политике вот на этой, надо быть сосредоточенными на, ну, конкретном, значит, вот, таком, ну, на божественности, да, которая нам открывается, вот на этом уровне, вот на этом мы сосредотачиваемся. (1:50) То есть идёт война вот между вот этим [занепокоємнням і духовністю].