Why Russia Is Sending Medieval Relics to the Ukraine Front
· World · Times of India, CNN
Russian soldiers fighting in eastern Ukraine are receiving relics of medieval Russian rulers and warrior saints at military bases along the front. A fragment of the right hand of Dmitry Donskoy, a Moscow prince celebrated for the 1380 Battle of Kulikovo, was sent to troops in early September. The Moscow Patriarchate's military department stated that the saint commander would stand shoulder to shoulder with Russian forces. Religious scholar Sergei Chapnin noted that the church and the state have practically merged during the conflict. Metropolitan Vladimir, the Russian-installed leader in Donetsk and Mariupol, stated that the relic helps soldiers and civilians mobilize their efforts.
Why it matters
The deployment of medieval relics integrates religious symbolism directly into Russia's state narrative, shaping mass consciousness and presenting the military campaign as a defense of the homeland.
Read the original report — Times of India
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