Putin's Twisted Faith: How Power and the Church Fuel Russia's War in Ukraine

Vladimir Putin's personal beliefs and the Russian Orthodox Church's stance have come under scrutiny amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Former priest Andrei Kordochkin claims the president's faith is tied to power, superstition, and a distorted view of masculinity. Meanwhile, the Church under Patriarch Kirill has openly backed the invasion, framing it as a spiritual struggle against the West.

Putin's approach to religion appears shaped by post-Soviet ideals of dominance and strength. He has reportedly mocked figures like Saints Boris and Gleb for rejecting violence, dismissing Jesus Christ as weak. His superstitious tendencies extend to using animal testing to select ceremony sites and avoiding the name of his political rival, Alexei Navalny.

Andrei Kordochkin, once an Orthodox priest, argues that Putin's religiosity is intertwined with power and sexual violence. He warns that true accountability in Russian society can only emerge when truth is acknowledged and justice is upheld.

The Russian Orthodox Church has played a key role in justifying the war. Patriarch Kirill has called the invasion a 'holy war' against Western values, blessing troops and consecrating military equipment. Official Church documents frame the conflict as defense against NATO and Western moral decline. Kirill has even visited front lines, reinforcing the narrative that Ukrainians lack distinct national identity.

Russian patriots often invoke the phrase 'We are Russians! God is with us!'—a belief Kordochkin suggests carries dangerous moral and spiritual risks.

The conflict in Ukraine has highlighted the deep ties between Putin's personal beliefs and the Russian Orthodox Church's political stance. With the Church actively supporting the invasion and Putin's faith rooted in power rather than traditional doctrine, the war continues to be framed as a spiritual battle. The consequences of this ideology remain central to Russia's national narrative and its actions abroad.