Orthodox Russia in fact prepared for WWI with the aim to take Constantinople
Any reading of Muscovite history shows that it has had 2 obsessions: the first from 1240ish until 1791 was 'the gathering of the Rus' when Muscowy believed that it was divinely ordained to gather together the various Rusyn peoples (remember that the Tsar was crowned "Tsar of ALL THE Russias")
The next obsession from 1490s onwards was "the gathering of the Orthodox" -- a divine mission to re-capture Byzantium
That latter mission fueled Russia through countless wars with the Ottomans and the Iranis
In fact it so permeated them that Tukachevsky, an avowed anti-Christian felt that Russia needed to capture Istanbul...
And where, do you believe, is Russia on this topic now? And what of Putin's reconciliation with and promotion of the Orthodox Church?