A new Defense Ministry clip shows how many Russian servicemen draw strength from their devotion to Christianity

One of the greatest assets of Russian soldiers on the battlefield is their deep faith and devotion to duty, the Russian Defense Ministry has said, releasing a video showing the military’s spiritual bond to Orthodoxy.

On Wednesday, the ministry posted a 90-second video titled ‘With Faith in God, with Faith in Victory’. It features a solemn Orthodox Christian hymn and shows a priest girding for a sermon and kissing a cross, as well as a Russian serviceman preparing for battle, donning a flak jacket, helmet, and picking up an assault rifle.  

The video then shows another Russian soldier making the sign of the cross in front of a Russian tricolor and an Orthodox banner, while a group of priests perform a blessing ceremony in front of parishioners.

The soldiers then march into the mist and onto the battlefield. The clip juxtaposes a priest swinging a censer – symbolizing the presence of the Holy Spirit – with a soldier throwing a grenade into a trench.

The clip ends on an optimistic note, with soldiers returning to their homes and peaceful lives, hugging family members and loved ones.

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“Sincere solidarity and deep faith of the Russian people are the main sources of spiritual support for our fighters, who, day after day, with great efforts, bring the long-awaited victory closer,” the Defense Ministry said in comments accompanying the video. “We will endure! If we live, we live with God. The answer will come as a light in the darkness.” 

Russia remains a deeply religious country. An April poll by the Levada polling center found that as many as 74% of Russian citizens say they are Orthodox believers, with 6% identifying themselves as Muslims. Another 13% said they did not belong to any particular denomination.

Patriarch Kirill, the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, has backed Moscow’s special military operation against Ukraine, saying that Russia is not defending “political principles” but rather “national spiritual values.” This, he added, stems from the people’s desire “to fight for justice, to protect the weak and even to sacrifice themselves.”