On 16 December, the European Union adopted its latest package of economic and individual restrictive measures in response to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Among other provisions, this sanctions package includes measures targeting the military unit responsible for the attack on Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, Okhmadyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv.
On July 8 of this year, Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital was hit during a Russian missile attack on Kyiv. The following day, the United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting, condemning the attack as a war crime and a gross violation of iinternational humanitarian law.
The condemnation came not only from political leaders but also from spiritual figures. Jerry Pillay, Secretary General of the World Council of Churches, described the attack as a blatant breach of international humanitarian law:
“WCC [The World Council of Churches] emphasizes that all those who target civilians and civilian infrastructure do so in violation of the most fundamental principles of law, ethics, morals and religion,” Pillay stated. “In this brutal war resulting from Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine, civilians are suffering the consequences every day. [..] Civilians in Russia are also suffering the consequences of this unconscionable conflict. To prevent more bloodshed and destruction, all such violations must stop, and the war must end.”
The World Council of Churches, a fellowship of 352 churches in over 120 countries, had already voiced its concerns earlier in April. At that time, it criticized a document titled “The Present and Future of the Russian World”, approved under the leadership of Patriarch Kirill of Russia. The document refers to the Kremlin’s so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine as a “holy war,” claiming Russia is protecting the world from the West that has allegedly fallen into Satanism.
If the church and state are separate, why does the highest clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church, namely, the Moscow Patriarchate, echo Kremlin rhetoric?
To understand this relationship, Dr. Ņikita Andrejevs, a theological research assistant at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Latvia, highlights Orthodoxy’s tradition of “symphonia”. This unique tradition envisions harmonious relations between the church and the ruling authority. Reflecting on the reasons behind the Moscow Patriarchate’s support for the war in Ukraine, even though other spiritual leaders condemn it, Andrejevs further notes that many high-ranking clergy, same as Vladimir Putin, have worked in the State Security Committee (KGB), and the church has been under state control for years.
“I think that specifically in the case of Russia, even before the [Ukraine] war and for a long time after the collapse of the Soviet Union, this system was built very deliberately, consciously, and gradually. Therefore, I am convinced that in the 1990s and later, there were more dissidents and priests who could stand up to Kirill, Putin, or any other Russian state leader. But this system was very deliberately and gradually purged of dissidents. Consequently, we are where we are today,” Andrejevs pointed out.
He argues that, as a result, the current clergy consists mostly of individuals willing to conform and obey. Those who sought to challenge the status quo either left, gradually succumbed to pressure, were dismissed, or, in the worst cases, punished, for example, by being accused of “discrediting the army.” Andrejevs believes the leadership of the Moscow Patriarchate is fully dependent on Putin and his United Russia party.
Echoing this view, theology professor and pastor Dace Balode recalls attending a conference in Moscow, where she visited a center belonging to the Moscow Archdiocese: “We saw beautiful icons, and right next to them was a picture of Putin, [displayed] like one of the icons.”
From a reverse perspective, Orthodoxy has also shaped Russian political culture. Balode notes that the Orthodox Church’s hierarchical structure stifles democratic thinking. Political scientist Andis Kudors is of similar opinion, pointing out that the black-and-white worldview of the Moscow Patriarchate, where dissenters are labelled heretics, has contributed to the development of authoritarian tendencies in Russian politics.
Kudors highlights research indicating that while many Russians identify as Orthodox, very few actively participate in religious practices, such as attending church or reading the Bible. This suggests that the vast majority of Russians are nominal Christians, who identify as Orthodox because it is deeply embedded in Russian cultural tradition.
Considering Russia’s propaganda messages, which position the country as a guardian of Christian values and a fighter against the spiritual decay of the West, Kudors reflects: “And so I come to the conclusion that Russia, in its public diplomacy targeting a broader international audience, lies, embellishes, withholds information, and presents a façade – an embellished façade. In this case, they portray themselves as a citadel of spirituality, but when we look at the facts, we see that this is not the case. In reality, they are not more religious than many European nations.”
He adds that there is significant cynicism among Putin’s elite:
“They lie about their values. When they claim to be defenders of traditional values, European Christians could ask them – where is Putin’s family? Where is Medvedev’s family, where are the others? Where do their children study? In the despised West. Where have they bought real estate? In the despised West.”
Ņikita Andrejevs recalls that, before the war in Ukraine, many Western politicians and religious leaders hailed Russia as a model defender of traditional values. However, as Andis Kudors emphasizes, European Christians and conservatives must recognize that Putin is not their ally. Behind Russia’s polished image lies hypocrisy, and the best way to counter it is by exposing the contradictions between the regime’s professed beliefs and its actions.
Given that Russia is no more religious than many European countries, claims that it defends Christian values and protects the world from the “Satanic West” are disinformation – their deeds show otherwise. In actuality, religion is weaponized to demonize the West, while the Kremlin’s regime commits war crimes in Ukraine under the guise of “saving their Slavic brothers.”
Reflecting on how these power games affect ordinary Orthodox believers, Kudors concludes that the leadership of the Moscow Patriarchate is so entangled with secular power that it effectively makes ordinary believers hostages. “I believe that, as a whole, Orthodoxy in Russia suffers because of this close alliance, losing their role as a moral authority. They support the tsar in everything he does, even highly unchristian actions such as attacking a Christian nation – the Ukrainians, who are both Slavs and Orthodox. Now, vast numbers of them are being killed, their cities burned to the ground, including churches,” notes Kudors.
When asked how a person can maintain their faith if they do not support religious authority, theology professor and pastor Dace Balode advises listening to one’s inner self – regardless of what church or state law dictates, a person always retains the freedom of conscience. She encourages people to remain independent in their faith and their understanding of truth and ethics. That way, no matter what happens around them, they can hold on to their principles and faith.
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