Vladimir Putin given bizarre new title in Russia amid Kremlin’s ‘holy war’

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been called a fighter against the Antichrist or chief exorcist by Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Newsweek reports.

At the outset of the Ukraine War, Vladimir Putin called Russias invasion of its neighbour merely a special military operation with the objective of denazification.

Eight months into the war and Russia is reportedly failing in all of its military objectives in Ukraine. Now, reports suggest that voices inside the Kremlin are whipping up bizarre theories in order to stir up domestic support.

Aleksey Pavlov, the assistant secretary to the security council of Russia, is said to claim the existence of satanic sects and a satanic church in Ukraine which calls for killing Russians, Express reports.

The statements by Pavlov have not been independently verified.

Nevertheless, even Vladimir Putin himself made use of this narrative. This was when he declared Russias annexation of the four regions in Ukraine, he accused western countries of outright satanism, Newsweek reports.

Increasingly more voices inside Russia are trying to elevate the discourse about the Ukraine War. What was merely a special military operation has now become a call to fight satanism and a holy war.

Such is the case of Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader and Putin ally who described the war in Ukraine as a holy war against Satanism.

Moreover, Patriarch Kirill recently told Russian citizens not to be afraid of death when going to fight in Ukraine.

Sources used:

-Newsweek: 'Putin Appointed 'Chief Exorcist' as Kremlin Whips up Satanic Panic'

-Express: Putin dubbed 'chief exorcist' as Kremlin turbocharges satanic panic over Ukraine invasion

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Vladimir Putin given bizarre new title in Russia amid Kremlin's 'holy war'