Russian Bishop Says Dying In Ukraine War Is 'Sacrifice' That 'Washes Away All Sins'

Russian bishop and head of the Russian Orthodox Church Kirill I on Sunday compared dying in the war in Ukraine to an act of "sacrifice" that "washes away" the soldiers' sins.

"Many are dying on the fields of internecine warfare. The Church prays that this battle will end as soon as possible, so that as few brothers as possible will kill each other in this fratricidal war," Kirill said in the sermon, per a translation by Reuters.

"But at the same time, the Church realizes that if somebody, driven by a sense of duty and the need to fulfil their oath goes to do what their duty calls of them and if a person dies in the performance of this duty, then they have undoubtedly committed an act equivalent to sacrifice. They will have sacrificed themselves for others. And therefore, we believe that this sacrifice washes away all the sins that a person has committed."

Kirill is a known ally of President Putin and a vocal supporter of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He has previously blamed the invasion on the West's gay pride parades and "excess consumption."

Kirill's comments during his Sunday sermon came days after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the partial mobilization of troops, which would call up 300,000 reservists with combat experience to join the war effort.

However, a report from Novaya Gazeta Europe, which cited a source in the Kremlin, said a hidden clause in Putin's mobilization order could permit Russia to draft one million reservists. Other reports also said draft papers were sent to men without combat experience.

The order has led to a massive exodus, with thousands of people fleeing Russia in hopes of avoiding conscription. For instance, satellite images of Russia's border with Georgia showed a line of cars and trucks stretching for nearly 10 miles.

U.S.-based Maxar Technologies, which released the photographs Monday, also said the traffic jam likely continued further than the area captured in the image. The company added that a similar traffic jam was seen near Russia's border with Mongolia, as reported by The Washington Post.