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7 Russian Cultists Quit Cave

Melting snow dooms end-of-the-world cult's hideout

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 29, 2008 5:49 AM CDT

(Newser) – Seven members of a Russian doomsday cult, all women, have emerged from the cave where they have been holed up since November, awaiting the end of the world (note: in May), Itar-Tass reports. Twenty-eight more remain in the cave southeast of Moscow—but they are expected to come out soon, as melting snow has caused part of the cave to collapse.

Holdouts have threatened to explode gas canisters if anybody tries to remove them by force, but rescue workers and Russian Orthodox priests have been negotiating through a chimney. The cult's leader was brought from a psychiatric hospital to help with talks. Authorities have agreed to let the women take refuge elsewhere to wait for the apocalypse.

[Images (4)]

[Videos (1)]

A priest of the Russian Orthodox Church tries to negotiate with members of a doomsday cult through a vent hole southeast of Moscow on Sunday Nov. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/RTR Russian Channel)

Self-declared prophet Pyotr Kuznetsov is seen undergoing psychiatric evaluation in a mental hospital in Penza region about 650 kilometers (400 miles) southeast of Moscow. (AP Photo/ RTR Russian Channel)

Russian businessman German Sterligov and psychology specialists led by professor Zurab Kekelidze head to the hideout of a doomsday cult, southeast of Moscow on Monday, Nov. 26, 2007. (AP Photo/Dmitry Barkhatov)

Russian businessman German Sterligov and psychology specialists have talks at a vent hole of the hideout where members of a doomsday cult are holed up southeast of Moscow. (AP Photo/Dmitry Barkhatov)

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Interview with doomsday cult leader. (RussiaToday (YouTube))

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7 Russian Cultists Quit Cave