In the city of Saki in occupied Crimea, a practical lesson for so-called "Orthodox scouts" took place on the territory of the Holy Ilinsky Church, with the participation of fighters from the "Bars-Crimea" formation. This was reported by the Center for National Resistance of the SSO of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (CNS), according to UNN.
Details
It is noted that minors were given firearms, instructed, and demonstrated elements of handling automatic weapons. At the same time, the event took place directly within the religious object and with the participation of clergy, which actually legitimized the combination of church activities with paramilitary training of children.
Such activities are not a one-time initiative of a single community. Religious institutions in Crimea are increasingly used as safe platforms from a public perspective for working with minors in the interests of law enforcement agencies. Clergy are involved as intermediaries who relieve social tension and present military training of children as spiritual and patriotic education. At the same time, safety issues and age restrictions are deliberately ignored.
It is indicated that this is not an isolated case: religious objects in the temporarily occupied territories are increasingly used as convenient and "safe" platforms for paramilitary work with children, priests are involved as intermediaries to present military training as "spiritual and patriotic education" and to relieve social tension.
"The situation in Saki shows a new stage of militarization: churches cease to be a space of security and become part of the mobilization infrastructure. Weapons in the hands of children in a sacred space normalize war as a 'god-pleasing' cause and form the readiness of a new generation to participate in it," the CNS summarizes.
Recall
the Russian Orthodox Church officially participates in the militarization of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Thus, the command of the "Crimea" group, together with the "Bars Crimea" militants, handed over a motorcycle to priest Dmitry Krotkov for "performing combat missions" in the occupied part of the Kherson region.