A few months ago I wrote a blog concerning the unholy alliance of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the piece I remarked that, during his rise to power in the early 2000s, Putin made a deal with the ROC leaders, primarily Moscow Patriarch Kirill and his possible successor, Metropolitan Tikhon of Pskov, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokomansk. That deal was that if they would endorse his regime he would grant their church favored status and act to suppress other faith groups. They have kept that agreement. (Read that earlier blog here: http://www.marketfaith.org/2022/04/vladimir-putin-and-the-russian-orthodox-church/ .)
Now, out of Moscow comes the news that a car bomb in that city on Saturday has killed the daughter of an influential political and religious advisor to Putin. Twenty-nine year old TV commentator Daria Dugina was killed by an explosive planted in her car. She was the daughter of Alexander Dugin, a prominent proponent of Russian nationalism and dominance of the ROC in Russian life. Dugin promotes the expansion of what he calls “Novorossiya” or “New Russia.” That movement includes suppressing other religious groups, supporting a strong authoritarian government, and the rebuilding of the old Russian Empire. Intrinsic to his ideology is his commitment to Russian Orthodoxy.
Observers speculate that Dugin probably was the intended target of the bombing. However, he and his daughter had switched vehicles following a nationalist rally where they were present on Saturday. Russian officials immediately blamed agents of Ukraine for the attack, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied it. At this point the perpetrator of the bombing has not been identified.
In any case, whoever was responsible for the killing, the attack reveals a key ingredient in the recent Russian aggressive stance against Ukraine, western Europe, and the United States. Clearly, Putin’s alliance with the ROC has provided nationalist propaganda to get the support of the Russian people for his dangerous policies. How long that will work is debatable, but it is likely that Dugin’s political and spiritual influence on Putin will grow with the death of his daughter. Violent reprisals against the Ukraine, and evangelical Christians in Russia, can be expected. Truly this is spiritual battle for the hearts of the Russian people.