It seems like Russians are not taking the supposed Mayan-prophesied end of the world very well. The New York Times reported that mass hysteria has gripped parts of the nation, forcing officials to publicly address the situation.
On Friday, Russia's minister of emergency situations said he had access to "methods of monitoring what is occurring on the planet Earth" and that he confidently believed the world was not ending on December 21. 2012.
According to the NYT, however, the minister added that Russians were still vulnerable to "blizzards, ice storms, tornadoes, floods, trouble with transportation and food supply, breakdowns in heat, electricity and water supply."
The government's response follows several bizarre incidents throughout the country. In a prison near the Chinese border inmates reportedly experienced a "collective mass psychosis," forcing wardens to call on a priest to calming down.
RT.com reported that towns around the country are selling doomsday survival kits (vodka included) as well as tours to heaven or hell. The Times also reported that in the southern city of Chelyabinsk, a large Mayan-style archway is being built out of ice on Karl Marx Street.
Russia isn't the only country dealing with doomsday issues. French authorities have been forced to ban access to a sacred mountain, called Pic de Bugarach, believed to open up on Dec. 21 to reveal an alien spaceship that will carry nearby humans to safety.
Conspiracies over the end of the Earth has been fueled by misconceptions over the end of the Mayan calendar. According to apocalyptic conspiracies, the Mayans predicted astronomical disasters would destroy the Earth at the end of its thirteenth 349-year cycle on December 21.
The conspiracies have been denied vehemently by both NASA and Pope Benedict XVI.
More 'Doomsday' Articles:
>>Chinese Man Builds 'Noah's Ark' To "Escape The Impending Mayan Apocalypse"
>>French Authorities Block Access To Sacred Mountain Believed To Provide Refuge From The Apocalypse
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
