Russia to deploy thousands of clergy to the front lines in Ukraine

It's widely recognized that Russia is a country full of contradictions. Recently, the Metropolitan Cyril of Stavropol has claimed a shortage of clergy at the front lines. The Church plans to deploy thousands to war, which is believed to ensure Russia's victory.

In a surprising statement, Metropolitan Cyril of Stavropol, during an interview with the state-run TV channel "Rossiya24", highlighted an acute shortage of clergy—about 1,300 priests—are needed at the Ukrainian front.

This figure is intended to satisfy the current demands of the soldiers engaged in the conflict. Nevertheless, it's hard to pinpoint why there's a push to increase the clergy's presence at the front. It might be an attempt by the patriarch to assert his influence with the Kremlin leadership.

Patriarch Cyril has been supportive since the onset of military actions. He ignored the Ukrainian clergy's complaints about the destruction of temples by Russian missiles. He also failed to condemn attacks during significant Orthodox Church holidays unequivocally. Instead, he backed these actions, supporting Vladimir Putin.

The Russian Orthodox Church, traditionally endorsing responsible military service, is now aiding its faithful participating in military operations, by providing pastoral care to soldiers in combat zones, offering humanitarian aid, and praying for those defending their homeland, nation-state, and the Russian nation's spiritual and cultural identity, even at the sacrifice of their own lives, said a message to the president of Russia, Patriarch, on Defender of the Fatherland Day.

This stance is consistent with other statements made by the Russian clergyman. In discussing the conflict in Ukraine, like Kremlin officials, he often invokes the concept of the Holy War revered in Russia. This term was also used to describe the brutal actions of the Russian army during the conflict with Nazi Germany in the Soviet era.