The Spiritual Front: The Position of the Russian Orthodox Church on the Issues of the Special Military Operation

The article examines new forms of interaction between the Church and government structures, including the spiritual care of the armed forces, charitable activities and moral mentoring. The purpose of the study is to determine the socio-political position of the Russian Orthodox Church in its issues. At the same time, the research interest is aroused not only by the declared attitude of religious leaders on militaristic issues, but also by the actions of a religious organization within the framework of socio-political partnership. Historical neo-institutionalism has been chosen as the main scientific approach, which makes it possible to analyze institutional changes and their impact on state-confessional relations. Based on the applied methodology and empirical material, conclusions are drawn about the active integration of the Russian Orthodox Church into the system of social and humanitarian support for participants in the armed conflict, veterans of their military and their families. The mechanisms of humanitarian mobilization that ensure prompt response and provision of necessary assistance through church institutions are identified and analyzed.