Given the far greater potential of the dismal Russian invasion of Ukraine to harm the Russian state, the support offered by the church is on a far larger scale and even includes a willingness to indulge the widespread Russian belief in miracles.Some of this is frankly bizarre. The pro-Kremlin tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda has been promoting "Orthodox battalions" in Donbas whose units successfully reported sustaining fewer casualties after each was renamed after Orthodox saints, the paper reported.
Renamed and blessed, something strange happened. Losses began to dramatically decrease and miraculous salvations grew. "There are no more heavy casualties," the story’s headline assured readers.
Since the war in Ukraine began, the Church has made itself an arm of the Kremlin, not only justifying the war but also blessing Russian troops regardless of their conduct in an attempt to raise morale and provide a cause worth dying for - something Putin’s regime has so signally failed to do. The more primitive and mystical that cause is, the better, as long as it bolsters the war effort.
“the support offered by the church ... even includes a willingness to indulge the widespread Russian belief in miracles. Some of this is frankly bizarre.”
Only a complete non-believer would be baffled by a Christian’s belief in miracles.