Russian Orthodox Church proposes ultranationalist ideology to Kremlin – ISW

Ivashkiv Olena — Saturday, 30 March 2024, 05:49

Patriarch Kirill and Vladimir Putin. Photo: Russian media outlets

The Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (ROC MP) has combined several Kremlin ideological narratives in an attempt to form a broader nationalist ideology around the war against Ukraine and Russia's expansionist future.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: The ROC MP has amplified the Kremlin's rhetoric on Russia's war against Ukraine and called it an existential and civilisational "holy war", which appears to be a significant deviation for Russian authorities, who have so far carefully avoided officially framing Russia's invasion of Ukraine as any kind of "war".

The ROC MP appears to be bringing together previous parallel Kremlin narrative efforts into a relatively coherent ideology centred on national identity and demographic revival, which promises Russians a period of national renaissance in exchange for social and civic responsibilities.

The ROC MP has emphasised that "restoring the unity of the Russian people" through the war in Ukraine is a key condition for Russia's survival and successful development during the 21st century.

ISW analysts believe that this call for restoration means a full-scale destruction of the Ukrainian nation and its absorption into Russia.

The ROC MP also aims to convert ethnic Belarusians into the Russian nation through its concept of the "trinity doctrine", as well as to repatriate other "compatriots" abroad en masse.

The Kremlin may choose not to fully embrace the ultranationalist ideology that the ROC MP has proposed, but it will likely borrow and use it to support the war against Ukraine and any future acts of aggression against Russia's neighbours and the West.

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 29 March:

The Russian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate (ROC MP), a Kremlin-controlled organisation and a known tool within the Russian hybrid warfare toolkit, held the World Russian People’s Council in Moscow on 27 and 28 March and approved an ideological and policy document tying several Kremlin ideological narratives together in an apparent effort to form a wider nationalist ideology around the war in Ukraine and Russia’s expansionist future.
The ROC MP intensified Kremlin rhetoric about Russia’s war in Ukraine and cast it as an existential and civilisational "holy war," a significant inflection for Russian authorities who have so far carefully avoided officially framing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as any kind of "war."
The ROC MP called for the codification of elements of the Russkiy Mir and may be gauging public support for the formal inclusion of ethnic Ukrainians and Belarusians in the Kremlin’s concept of the Russian nation.
The ROC MP heavily emphasised Russia’s need for traditional family values and an updated migration policy to counter Russia’s ongoing demographic crisis.
The ROC MP appears to be combining previously parallel Kremlin narrative efforts into a relatively cohesive ideology focusing on national identity and demographic resurgence that promises Russians a period of national rejuvenation in exchange for social and civic duties.
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