CPD: Russian Orthodox Church canonizes fallen occupiers to justify war against Ukraine
Kyiv • UNN
In a church in the Pskov region, icons depicting Russian paratroopers were placed. The CPD states that the church is being used as a tool of Kremlin propaganda.
The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is increasingly being used by the Kremlin to sacralize the war against Ukraine. This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (CCD), informs UNN.
Details
It is noted that the governor of the Pskov region, Mykhailo Vedernikov, published a video on his Telegram channel with new icons depicting participants in the war - paratroopers of the 76th Airborne Division of the Russian Armed Forces who died in the war against Ukraine in 2023. These icons were placed in the church.
Through such practices, the ROC tries to sacralize the war, to give it religious meaning. Using church symbolism, the authorities seek to create a moral and spiritual justification not only for the killing of Ukrainians, but also for Russia's heavy losses at the front, in order to reduce public dissatisfaction with the war.
They add that placing images of war participants on icons turns a religious symbol into an instrument of political propaganda.
"This once again confirms that the Russian Orthodox Church has nothing to do with faith - it is just one of the state institutions in the Kremlin's war machine," the CCD concludes.
Recall
In Russia, not only so-called "SVO" veterans, but also priests of the Russian Orthodox Church are involved in war propaganda among Russian children.