War-fatigued Russians are turning to entertainment for distraction in what could threaten Russia’s “civilizational identity,” said the head of Russia’s Orthodox Church.
“After almost three years of active military operations, we see there’s a certain weariness among our fellow citizens of reports from the front lines,” Patriarch Kirill said at the church’s World Russian People’s Council.
He commended those Russians who volunteer their time and money for the military’s needs, but lamented the fact that “many are not ready to give up their personal comfort and usual level of prosperous life.”
“The large number of entertainment events and TV shows — frivolous and carefree behavior — contrasts greatly with what’s happening now [in Ukraine] where our people, especially young people, are dying,” the church leader said.
“We can say this issue exposes some spiritual sores. We need to think about the causes of such a phenomenon and ask if these sores threaten our civilizational identity or indicate some kind of malfunction in our cultural code,” Patriarch Kirill added.
Russia’s Orthodox Church has publicly backed Moscow’s war against Ukraine, calling on church followers to rally and fight against Russia’s “external and internal enemies.” The church has cast the conflict as a “holy war.”
In his recently published book called “For Holy Rus,” Patriarch Kirill, considered to be a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, promised “eternal life” to Russian soldiers killed fighting on the front lines in Ukraine.
