This issue examines the growing role of the Russian Orthodox Church and religious discourse in contemporary Russia. The first contribution by Alexander Ponomariov explores the sacralization of war in Russian public discourse since 2022, tracing the convergence of Orthodox theological language and state-security narratives in legitimizing and mobilizing support for the war in Ukraine. The second contribution by Daria Khokhlova turns to schools, analyzing the Church’s place in Russia’s evolving history curriculum and the tensions between memories of Soviet anti-religious persecution and increasingly positive portrayals of the Soviet state.
Content
ANALYSIS
Sacralization of War and Eschatology in Russian Public Discourse (2022–2026)
Alexander Ponomariov (Independent Researcher)
ANALYSIS
Ideological Education Without Consensus: The Russian Orthodox Church and Conflicting Memories in the “Unified” History Curriculum
Daria Khokhlova (University of Zurich)
OPINION POLL
Russian Attitudes Towards the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Analytical Digest No. 346 (2. Oktober 2026) zum Downloaden