The decision by the Russian Orthodox Church to send a fragment of the hand of a medieval prince and saint to the front line of the war in Ukraine has sparked intense commentary in the international media, with the stated aim, according to the Church, of boosting the morale and “spiritual endurance” of Russian soldiers.
It’s a fragment from the right hand of Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy, which, according to the Moscow Patriarchate, was transferred to military units in the occupied Donetsk region.
“A portion of the Grand Prince’s right hand, the same hand with which he held his sword at the Battle of Kulikovo, was sent to the front to strengthen the soldiers’ spirit,” the Russian Orthodox Church said in a statement. The relic was placed in a small, ornate reliquary which, according to the Church, will be displayed to Russian military units stationed near the front line.
From the Main Cathedral of the Armed Forces to the front lines: The reliquary of St. Dmitry Donskoy has arrived in Rostov. A prayer service was held for troops and families before the sacred relic is dispatched directly to units in the combat zone. pic.twitter.com/gCr1fNTxDL
— RussiaNews 🇷🇺 (@mog_russEN) September 8, 2026
Who was Dmitry Donskoy
Dmitry Donskoy, who died in 1389, is an emblematic figure for Russian nationalism. He is remembered in history for his victory over the Golden Horde of the Mongols at the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, a conflict regarded by Russian historiography as a pivotal moment on the path toward liberating Russian lands from Mongol rule.
The Russian Orthodox Church canonized him as a saint in 1988, and in recent years his figure has frequently been used as a symbol of military and patriotic identity.
Donskoy’s remains and his sarcophagus were uncovered this past summer during restoration work at the Cathedral of the Archangel in the Moscow Kremlin.
The dispatch of the relic comes at a time when Russian forces are continuing the war in Ukraine for a fifth year, with casualties remaining particularly high.
Ukraine claims that in July alone Russian battlefield losses exceeded 42,000 soldiers. At the same time, Kremlin critics and Russian defectors have denounced the strategy of mass assaults using waves of soldiers, which they describe as a “meat grinder” used to wear down Ukrainian forces.
The choice of Donetsk also carries particular symbolism, since the region remains one of the most heavily fortified zones in Ukraine, and Russia has not managed to fully capture it despite having unilaterally annexed it.
The Russian Orthodox Church has openly backed Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a “special military operation.” Orthodox priest and historian Alexander Zanemonets, in an analysis for the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, noted that the Church is constantly seeking new ways to demonstrate its support for the Russian war effort.
“It had already sent priests to the front line, instituted mandatory prayers for Russian victory in every church, and organized flights of icons over cities,” he noted. He added that “a state at war will try to compel all institutions, including religious ones, to take part in it.”
😅 Putin inspected the remains of Dmitry Donskoy and approved sending them to the “special military operation” zone
Ancient bones discovered by the Russian Orthodox Church during the restoration of the Kremlin’s Archangel Cathedral are heading to the front.
Russian Orthodox… pic.twitter.com/Ixm52W4ix8
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 20, 2026
Source: protothema.gr
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
