The Kremlin instrumentalizes the Russian Orthodox Church to justify the war in Ukraine

The Kremlin has once again intensified its use of the Russian Orthodox Church as a propaganda tool to justify aggression against Ukraine and to militarize Russian society.

State and propaganda media in Russia are widely broadcasting footage of religious services attended by Russian soldiers, including from the front lines.

Alongside them, statements by so-called "military priests" emphasize the necessity of standing next to soldiers "in the trenches", directly linking religion to war.

The Christmas services on January 7 were attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as senior state officials, including the Minister of Defense, as well as senior figures from the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church.

During these ceremonies, the war in Ukraine was presented as a "fight against evil" and as a "defense of faith."

According to the analysis, in the speeches of senior clerics, the Russian aggression against Ukraine is deliberately disguised as a “spiritual mission.” Religious rhetoric about “holy peace,” “the Russian world,” and “the defense of Orthodoxy” is used, while Ukraine is accused without evidence of “persecution of the faith.”

In this way, the Kremlin aims to avoid political and legal responsibility for the war, shifting it to a pseudo-sacral dimension.

Experts believe that this constitutes a typical practice of Russian propaganda: mixing religion, the military, and state ideology to legitimize violence and mobilize the population.

While in most of the world Christmas symbolizes peace, solidarity, and humanity, in Russia it is being used as a tool to justify killings and continue military aggression.

Earlier, the Center had published an analytical report documenting the use of the Russian Orthodox Church as a militarized instrument within the state propaganda system of the Russian Federation./TheGeoPost.