A dour-faced Putin thanked the Russian Orthodox Church for its backing of his war in Ukraine while attending Christmas services in Moscow by himself.
Putin, who celebrated his own private Christmas Eve service in a Kremlin cathedral Friday instead of joining public celebrations, expressed his thanks at the church’s “massive, complex and truly selfless work” to back Russian military.
Putin said in a bizarre statement, “It is profoundly gratifying to recognize the immense constructive contribution of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations in unifying society, preserving our historical memory, educating youth, and strengthening the institution of the family.”
“Church organizations prioritize… supporting our warriors participating in the special military operation,” he said in the statement, which described Christmas as a time that “inspires noble deeds and aspirations and serves to reinforce such eternal spiritual values and moral constants as mercy, empathy, kindness, and justice”
Putin gave thanks to the Russian Orthodox Church’s support of his campaign in Ukraine.
Putin stated via REUTERS: “Church organizations prioritize… supporting our warriors participating in the special military operation.”
The statement contained photographs of the president sporting a glum expression as he stood alone in front of holy symbols inside the Kremlin’s Annunciation Cathedral and observed a priest and other religious leaders celebrating mass from a distance.
The message was sent a day after Putin called for a 36-hour respite in the combat for Orthodox Christmas, which occurs on Saturday. Kyiv rejected Putin’s request, dubbing it a plot to regroup while artillery exchanges continued.
Russia is home to around 100 million of the 260 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. The conflict in Ukraine has divided individuals who practice the religion, with some supporting Moscow’s invasion and others opposing it.
»Putin attends Christmas mass alone, praises church for war support«