The Russian Orthodox Church sent to Ukraine a bone fragment attributed to Prince Dmitri Donskoi, a historical figure who defeated the forces of the Golden Horde at the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380. The relic was sent with the aim of boosting the morale of Russian troops and establishing a link between Moscow's current offensive and a military memory spanning more than six centuries.
The action had the express blessing of Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. It represents an attempt at symbolic mobilization that appeals to Russia's historical military tradition, evoking one of its most emblematic moments of confrontation against Asian powers.
The article presents this initiative as a form of religious and military propaganda, symbolically summoning a prince dead for centuries to a current war without anyone having asked his opinion. The use of sacred relics in this context represents a fusion between faith, history, and armed conflict.
