Nina Achmatova

The Russian government has an ambitious plan for 2016-2020 to promote love for the motherland and spiritual values ​​among future soldiers. Hundreds of government-funded, often Orthodox-Church sponsored patriotic clubs teach children to handle weapons to defend the homeland.

Jehovah's Witnesses were meeting in congress on 10-12 July in Krymsk, Krasnodar region. On the second day, Cossacks attacked the gathering as police stood idly by. For participants, the action violated “our right to religious freedom".

For Bloomberg, Russia has overtaken China, where volatility prevails in equity markets. Investors are betting on lower political risks in Russia and an economic recovery in 2016.

Russian Orthodox Church awaits greater detail of Pope Francis’ idea to celebrate Easter on a single date. But not basing Easter on the first full moon after the spring equinox, as established by the Council of Nicea, "unacceptable" for the Orthodox Russians.

For sociologist Lev Gudkov, the Church has contributed to the sacralisation of the Soviet victory over the Nazis. Orthodoxy has become the basis for the political legitimacy of the Kremlin’s current occupant, responsible for restoring Russia’s world power status.

The charge was made by the spokesman of the UOC-MP, after a meeting of the Christian religious communities with President Petro Poroshenko. Filaret rejects the accusations: the war is the fault of the Moscow Patriarchate, which controls the Church to influence society.

A cease-fire will start from February 15, a last bid for a political solution to the conflict. The Primate of the Ukrainian Church, faithful to the Moscow Patriarchate, calls for repentance and prayer: Christians should not kill each other.

The Russian Orthodox primate spoke before the lower house of parliament. For experts, Russia is a in the middle of economic and international crises, and must mobilise its institutions, especially religious ones.

The Greek Catholic Synod slams the presence of heavy weapons, thousands of Russian mercenaries and regular troops. Russian propaganda is also a destructive weapon. In Crimea, imams lose residence permit. Greek Catholic priest faces the same problem.

One death was reported yesterday in Mariupol. In Donetsk, as the day ended calm fell on the city after shelling caused fires. With the West threatening new economic sanctions, Medvedev threatens to close Russian airspace to Western airliners.

According to experts, the Kremlin did not really want to deal with the"political component" of the crisis, putting all the responsibility on Kyiv. Moscow is willing to deal only with Washington.

A Church spokesman spoke out to this effect days after Onufry's enthronement as the new metropolitan. Meanwhile the Russian patriarch continues his silence on Russia's takeover of the Crimea, but is loud in his attacks against the '"aggressiveness" of the Uniate Church.