April 24 – President Vladimir Putin on Sunday attended an Easter mass held by the Russian Orthodox Church, which has strongly supported the Kremlin leader’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Putin, dressed in a dark blue suit, white shirt and dark purple tie, stood apart inside Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior, holding a lit red candle showing live footage of the midnight service.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin hold candles as they attend the Orthodox Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, Russia April 23, 2022. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
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The Russian leader crossed himself several times during the ceremony. When Patriarch Kirill proclaimed “Christ is risen,” Putin joined the other members of the congregation in replying, “Verily He is risen.” Otherwise he did not speak.
At an outdoor service in Moscow on Saturday, Kirill said he hoped for a quick end to the conflict in Ukraine but did not condemn it. His statements in support of Russian intervention, which Kyiv and Western nations have condemned as an act of aggression, have fragmented the Orthodox Church worldwide. Continue reading
Russia says it is conducting a special military operation in Ukraine aimed at demilitarizing and “denazifying” the country. Ukraine and the West reject this as a baseless pretext.
Reporting by David Ljunggren Editing by Paul Simao