Support The Moscow Times!

Church Spokesman: Russia Has Messianic Mission to Stop 'American Project'

Vsevolod Chaplin, the spokesman for Russia's Orthodox Church.

A spokesman for Russia's Orthodox Church believes that his country has a mission in the world: to stop "the American project," according to comments carried by Russian media.

Russia has a history of stopping various "projects" through the centuries, spokesman Vsevolod Chaplin told an online conference, Interfax reported Thursday.

"It is no coincidence that we have often, at the price of our own lives … stopped all global projects that disagreed with our conscience, with our vision of history and, I would say, with God's own truth," he was quoted as saying.

"Such was Napoleon's project, such was Hitler's project. We will stop the American project too," Chaplin said.

Chaplin said that Russia will use its "ideological weapons" to combat Western ideas that are "running out of steam" because they "lack the drive, lack even a banner the population of Western nations could follow," according to the report.

Once this "project" has been gotten rid of, Russia may take its rightful, leading role in the world, according to Chaplin.

"Russia is the center, and maybe the only center, of the world … [Russia] has more grounds to be such a center than any European capital or the United States," he was quoted by Interfax as saying. "

His remarks echoed recent comments by President Vladimir Putin, who told his country in a speech last month that Russians are morally superior in their standoff with the West.

Amid a burgeoning economic crisis and Western sanctions imposed over Moscow's meddling in Ukraine, Putin also conceded that the country faces "difficult challenges" ahead.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more