At a hilltop, the shamans, donning traditional Andean attire, welcomed the coming year in a purification ceremony incorporating flowers, incense, a snake, and photos of the Ukrainian and Russian presidents.

“All this will calm down. Peace, tranquillity will come. That’s what we’ve seen,” said shaman Cleofe Sedano, predicting a peace treaty would be signed by August.

The ceremony, performed every year in late December, comes 10 months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that has left tens of thousands dead.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has been vigorously promoting a 10-point peace plan.

Issuing their omens after hovering over a sheet of flowers and coca leaves, with skulls on the ground, the shamans also predicted natural disasters.

“Next year, there will be an earthquake, but not in the capital of Peru, in another place, mostly abroad in the northern part of America, which could be the US. There will be a lot of tragedy, mostly climatic,” said shaman Walter Alarcon.