The Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill has called on the Russians to “unite”. “Any attempt to stir up discord in our country is the greatest crime for which there is no justification,” the patriarchate declares, calling on those “who have taken up arms to turn them against their brothers” to back down on. Kyrill therefore explicitly supports Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin, who is trying to prevent “the unrest in our country”. Patriarch Kirill had backed the offensive and calls on believers to support it. For his part, Putin in April praised the church’s “consolidating” role in Russian society and youth at a time when the country is facing “serious challenges”.
Russia: Chechnya sends its own troops to support the Kremlin – the liveblog
