President Vladimir Putin appeared withdrawn and dejected in a rare public appearance at an Orthodox Easter mass in Moscow.
The Russian tyrant appeared to stare at the congregation as he went through the religious movements during mass.
The 71-year-old’s mood could be due to claims that the country’s armed forces are seeking 1,000 men a day on the frontline of the conflict with Ukraine.
Putin attended a service at the packed Cathedral of Christ the Savior for an evening Easter service led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church and outspoken supporter of the Kremlin.
While Ukraine’s Defense Ministry estimates that Russian deaths and casualties could total up to 450,000, Russia has not released any figures since September 2022.
President Vladimir Putin appears withdrawn and dejected at the Orthodox Easter mass, gazing absently into the distance.
The Russian leader looked miserable as he listened to the mass that was televised throughout Russia and lasted all night.
Putin stood with Sergei Sobyanin, Moscow’s mayor (right) inside the Cathedral of Christ the Savior for midnight mass where they held thin red candles while a choir sang traditional songs.
President Putin attended the traditional televised service with the Patriarch on Sunday evening. Kirill delivers good wishes to Orthodox believers.
A procession of white-robed clerics surrounded the grand cathedral, rebuilt in post-Soviet times and widely seen as a symbol of Russia’s rejection of its atheistic past, as they waved smoking censers and sang the liturgy.
Most Western churches celebrate Easter on March 31, but the Russian Orthodox Church follows a different calendar.
In his Easter speech, Kirill wished “God’s blessing on Russia,” its people and all countries where the Church has a presence.
But the Church’s Easter comes amid stark figures released by kyiv claiming that the daily death toll in Russia has exceeded 1,000 each day.
According to the latest figures from the Ukrainian armed forces and reported by The expressRussia suffered 1,120 casualties in 24 hours, marking the fifth consecutive day in which the number of wounded or dead has risen to more than 1,000.
Russian losses increased significantly towards the end of April after a period of intense fighting in the Donetsk region.
Despite Putin’s apparent dismay at the latest statistics, Ukraine continues its offensive and hopes to soon receive military aid from the United States.
A Ukrainian airstrike against Russian troops. Recent figures released by kyiv estimate that Russia is losing more than 1,000 soldiers a day and has lost more than 6,000 in the last 5 days alone.
Patriarch Kirill, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church (pictured) and avowed supporter of the Kremlin, led the service.
Putin and the Moscow mayor exchanged gifts later, but during the service the couple appeared somber.
The British military has also revealed that Russia has suffered heavy artillery losses.
Conservative minister Leo Docherty earlier said that “more than 10,000 Russian armored vehicles” had been destroyed.
This included 3,000 main battle tanks, 109 fixed-wing aircraft, 136 helicopters, 346 unmanned aerial vehicles and 23 warships of all classes.
In addition, Ukraine has destroyed, abandoned or captured more than 1,500 artillery systems.
Possibly in a nod to the dire situation now facing Russia’s armed forces, Patriarch Kirill posted a message on the Church’s website on Saturday.
He noted that “the awareness of God’s love gives us strength to overcome the most difficult states of mind and circumstances, lifts us above the bustle of everyday life, helps to correct previous mistakes and destroys discouragement.”
Ukrainian military fires BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system at Russian troops
Ukrainian servicemen ride an armored personnel carrier (APC) in a field near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, April 27, 2024.
This year the patriarch seemed to stay away from political pronouncements, unlike last April, when he lamented “the serious events that are taking place in our historical Russian land,” referring to Moscow’s military actions in Ukraine and reinforcing the Kremlin narrative that the Ukrainian state is essentially a fiction.
Putin appeared among the worshipers, standing next to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin as the two joined in traditional Easter greetings, but the president appeared depressed and miserable.
The Russian leader was later seen exchanging festive gifts with Kirill.
Putin has been eager to present himself as a defender of the “traditional values” espoused by the Russian Orthodox Church in the face of what he repeatedly presents as the “degrading” influence of the West.
The country has taken an increasingly conservative turn, with attempts to restrict abortion and sweeping bans against LGBTQ+ activism and gender transition that have been supported by the church.
