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Relic of Medieval Prince Sent to Donetsk Front to Bolster Troops

Its dispatch aims to reinforce Kremlin-backed nationalist messaging ahead of a parliamentary vote.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia leads a citywide procession marking the Feast of the Moscow Saints, in Moscow, Russia, September 6, 2026. REUTERS/Yulia Morozova/File Photo
The Russian Orthodox Church sent fragments of a medieval prince's hand to soldiers in the frontlines as a means to raise morale and provide the "spiritual strength" to end the war.
Orthodox believers carry a banner depicting an icon of a medieval Russian prince Dmitry Donskoy past the headquarters of the Russian Defence Ministry during a citywide procession marking the Feast of the Moscow Saints, with the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in the background, in Moscow, Russia, September 6, 2026. REUTERS/Yulia Morozova/File Photo
Russian President Vladimir Putin stands by the relics of the Holy Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy, which were discovered in the course of restoration works, during a service at the Archangel Cathedral of the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia August 20, 2026. Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

Overview

  • The Russian Orthodox Church, which sent a fragment of Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy’s right hand to Donetsk on Thursday, said the relic will be shown to combat units along the more than 1,000-kilometre front to strengthen soldiers’ spirits.
  • The sarcophagus was uncovered this summer during restoration at Moscow’s Cathedral of the Archangel and President Vladimir Putin personally inspected the remains in August.
  • Senior Kremlin and military figures, including Sergei Kiriyenko, publicly venerated the fragment at a Donetsk ceremony and the Defence Ministry released footage of troops attending church services with icons and flags.
  • Church historians and critics said the recovery and public use of the remains departed from normal religious practice and questioned why remains long known to scholars were only recovered and displayed now.
  • The move could boost morale for some troops, give the Kremlin a symbolic rallying point before the parliamentary election, and increase pressure on the Russian Orthodox Church to visibly support state wartime aims.