The Russian Orthodox Church, together with the Kremlin, has launched another ideological campaign for the occupation forces. A portion of the relics of Prince Dmitry Donskoy has begun to be taken to the front in Ukraine.
This was reported by the Centre for Countering Disinformation.
According to the CCD, the prince’s remains are being used in Russian propaganda as a supposed means of “boosting morale” among Russian troops on the front line.
Sergei Kiriyenko, First Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration, personally joined the active PR drive around this initiative. While in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region, he publicly praised the so-called “spiritual mission” and urged Russian soldiers to ask the relics for a “blessing” for the war against Ukraine.
The Centre notes that Kiriyenko’s demonstrative participation in the campaign and the extensive coverage of his visit to occupied Donetsk region by Russian propaganda indicate that this is not merely a church initiative.
“Touring with relics is not simply the Church’s ‘spiritual initiative’,” the CCD stressed.
It also noted that Kiriyenko is the Kremlin’s overseer for Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories and directly manages the processes of their forced integration into Russia.
In the CCD’s assessment, his involvement in this religious campaign indicates the participation of the Russian Presidential Administration and Russia’s security services.
- In July, Russian troops in the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk region lost the relics of Alexander Nevsky, which they were taking to the front to hold a prayer service, due to the fuel crisis.