highlights
Russian spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill requested a ceasefire
Russia announced a ceasefire on January 6-7 at Kirill’s request.
Kirill also supported Russia’s intervention in Syria in 2015.
New Delhi. Russian President Vladimir Putin is one of the powerful leaders of the world. The Russia-Ukraine War has been going on for almost 11 months, but there is a person in Russia who has more power than them. Which forced Putin to stop the Russia-Ukraine war. This person is Russian spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill. A ceasefire was announced by Russia on January 6-7 at Kirill’s request regarding the Orthodox Christmas.
According to a report in The Hindu, on January 5, two days before the Russian Orthodox Christmas, Patriarch Kirill requested a ceasefire from both countries regarding the ongoing Ukraine war. Within a few hours, Russia announced a unilateral ceasefire on the entire border line from last Friday afternoon to Saturday (Christmas Day) midnight.
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Why was there a ceasefire
The question is why Putin was forced to announce a ceasefire on Russian Orthodox Christmas. So the answer is that a large number of Orthodox live in civil war zones. Let us tell you that on the day Putin announced his special military operation on February 24, 2022, Patriarch Kirill praised Russian soldiers as ‘defenders of the fatherland’. That’s why President Putin announced the ceasefire keeping in mind the Russian Orthodox Christmas and said that we give the Ukrainian side an opportunity to declare a ceasefire and attend services on Christmas Eve.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine justified
Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, justified Russia’s attack on Ukraine. ‘Patriarch of Russia’ is a title given to the bishop of Russia. Kirill had justified the invasion on spiritual and ideological grounds and termed it as a ‘metaphysical’ battle with the West. He blessed the soldiers going into battle and invoked the idea that Russians and Ukrainians are one people.
What is the importance of Patriarch Kirill
Since his consecration as Patriarch Kirill by the Council of Bishops of the Holy Synod in 2009, his position has largely been in line with Russia’s interests. He also supported Russia’s intervention in Syria in 2015. He has supported Russia’s policies towards Ukraine in the past as well. However, the Orthodox Church lost its importance after the 1917 revolution. But with time it managed to regain its importance in Russia and today has become so powerful that it stopped the Ukraine war for a few hours.
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Tags: Russia, russia ukraine war, Vladimir Putin
FIRST PUBLISHED : January 12, 2023, 07:29 IST
