Russian President Vladimir Putin extended Christmas greetings to Orthodox Christians, emphasizing the importance of family traditions and the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in uniting people. On January 7,

Russia's invasion, which began in February 2022, has also been a source of religious controversy within the Eastern Orthodox Church and has driven a split among believers in both Russia and Ukraine.Vi

Vladimir Putin has marked Russian Orthodox Christmas by attending church in Moscow alongside fighters in his war against Ukraine and their families - despite being responsible for hundreds of thousands killed.

Since the start of his "special military operation" in February 2022, Putin has turned to religion and closed ranks with the head of the Orthodox Church to call out what he sees as the decline of Western morality.

Patriarch Kirill, an enthusiastic backer of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, blessed icons and crosses that were to be engraved with the president's initials and sent to servicemen in the 34-month-old war in Ukraine,

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent special Christmas gifts to commanders deployed in Ukraine, intended to salute their bravery and boost their morale. On Orthodox Christmas Day, Putin met with Patriarch Kirill,