Kremlin's "Crusade": Why Orthodox PVCs are created in Russia and how they fight in Ukraine

The mercenaries are sent to the war in Ukraine after preliminary preparation, stated in the Security Service of Ukraine. One of the PVC is called the "Andreevsky Cross" and operates on the basis of the Kronstadt Sea Cathedral in St. Petersburg. In the temple, clergymen recruit believers to participate in the occupation troops. Preference is given to men who served in the military units of the Russian Federation and have combat experience.

The course of military-tactical and fire training is conducted by instructors of Russian special services in the cathedral and special landfills. According to the SBU, the Orthodox PEC is given in the SBU by financial and industrial groups of the Russian Federation, close to President Vladimir Putin. The ROC accounts for charitable contributions and donations for "construction" of temples are used to transfer funds.

Russian media wrote about the creation of the first PEC at the Orthodox Church in November last November. Even then, on the basis of the St. Andrew's Cross, they taught mobilized with the blessing of the rector of the Marine Cathedral in Kronstadt Alexei Ganzhyn. "In parallel from the fighters prepared in the center, volunteer battalions are collected. The creation of private military companies of the RCP testifies to the failure of mobilization measures in Russia.

The Kremlin is increasingly forced to hold a hidden set in the armed forces, said the representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Yusov. "With regard to these groups, they will not significantly affect the situation at the front. There are signs that the Russian terrorist regime uses all methods of so -called hybrid mobilization.

To recruit the genocidal war in Ukraine, use not only mercenaries and prisoners, but also A new audience is religious fanatics. Everything is being done to avoid official mobilization and continue the hidden, "he said. According to GUR, Moscow uses institutions that should preach love for one's neighbor and other Christian values. "But since the ROC is not a church, but a branch of Russian special services, it is also used to support the genocide of Ukrainians made by Russia," Yusov said.

The Russian edition of "Notepad" previously wrote about the concept of PEC "Andreevsky Cross". People are prepared before mobilization in the army of the Russian Federation for "difficult conditions of hostilities". They are also obliged to achieve victories at any cost. Parishioners of the Mikilsky Cathedral in Kronstadt in 2017 created a training center, where they prepared the military for service in the army and in various PECs.

The coordination director of the PEC "Andreevsky Cross" Volodymyr Hilchenko noted that the former special forces participated in the project. "We plan to create volunteer battalions and hope it will be our contribution to our own. The center can train from 70 to 100 people, military training courses last 30 days. Hilchenko. The rector of the Sea Crown in Kronstadt stated that the "Andreevsky Cross" was not a PVC. At the cathedral there are courses of primary military training for children.

They also teach adults who want to fight in Ukraine. The "St. Andrew's Cross" is a society, of course. There are parishioners who sponsor us, but people go to the defense of our Fatherland. This is not a military company, we have been doing this since 2017. For five years we have been undergoing classes with children and adults. We prepare them before the army to be able to survive, "the churchman explained. The RCP was already noticed in the creation of military units that fought in Ukraine.

An example is" Russian Orthodox army "(RPA), established in May 2014 at the beginning of the war on the war Donbass, says Focus Major General of SBU Victor Yugan. "Russia is formally no PVC, they are prohibited by law. Indeed, the RPA believers were spotted in battles. They even detained a clergyman with a cross, in a row and a machine. RCP connections with the army and special services are very strong. I am not surprised if the commanders of religious units will be priests, "-says military expert.

Yugan reminds that many Russian priests, before receiving a spiritual dignity, studied in military schools and cooperated with special services. And massively elected the church road. The ROC has revealed for them, many of them in Ukraine. It is clear that Gundyaev's rhetoric [Patriarch of the ROC Cyril] will lead to the Orthodox participation in the war.