Muslim, if one can call them that, supporters of the Kremlin’s «special operation» in Ukraine told us that after the contribution of the Tik-Tok battalions to the destruction of Mariupol, the role of the Islamic factor in Russia will certainly increase. If this were true, the war would be the most appropriate time for the Russian leadership to evaluate its loyal Muslim subjects and show them its favor. At least symbolically. For example, the orchestra of the Armed Forces of Ukraine took the opportunity to congratulate all its Muslim supporters with the Salavat on the occasion of the Feast of the Revelation (https://youtu.be/oLztmMbEvYc). This is despite the fact that Muslims in Ukraine make up only 15% to 25% of the population, and no less if we consider the ethnic composition of its fighting army. There are not many Muslims in Ukraine, and none of them, like the pro-Kremlin «Muslim bloggers,» claim that the Islamic factor will become decisive as a result of this war. No, we are realists — it is enough for Ukraine to remain a space of freedom and security for Muslims, and for Mordor to set its teeth on it. Nevertheless, we see such steps from the leadership of their army towards Muslims.
But what about the leadership of the Russian army, in which there are significantly more ethnic Muslims than in the Ukrainian army? It consistently expresses reverence, but … for Orthodoxy and the Orthodox Church. For example, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called for the inclusion of Field Marshal Alexander Suvorov in the ranks of Orthodox saints. That is, it is clear that the Russian state, in the person of the army as a state institution, has merged with the Russian Orthodox Church to such an extent that they jointly decide who should be recognized as an Orthodox saint.
Of course, this is not surprising — after all, when a huge pagan temple was built near Moscow called the «Main Church of the Armed Forces of Russia,» it was officially an Orthodox church. And they certainly did not build any mosques or Buddhist pagodas there, despite the protests and requests of their «muftis». Even now, during the war, Shoigu does not consider how such actions by the commander of the army of a secular, multi-confessional, multinational state will be perceived by the numerous «non-Christians» fighting in it. Because he simply doesn’t care.
Otherwise, he would have thought about the reaction to this step not only of the Crimean Tatar Muslims, who have always been and will remain a foreign element for Russia. After all, this «holy Suvorov» slaughtered the inhabitants of Khadzhibey (today’s Odessa) during the conquest of this city. But at least he could have considered the reaction of the Nogai people living in the interior of Russia, considering the genocide committed by Suvorov against the Nogai. Not to mention the suppression of the Pugachev Rebellion in the 18th century, which was drowned in the blood of the multiethnic population of the Volga region, including Orthodox Christians.
So, once again, the Russian leadership simply did not care about the feelings of all these «outsiders» as well as their own serfs whose ancestors were forced back into slavery by Suvorov and others like him. The only thing they think about in the midst of war is how to declare a butcher an Orthodox saint. Obviously, so that later they themselves can be included in the ranks of saints, like Shoigu, Gerasimov, Shamanov… Budanov.
And there is no other way in the «Russian world». It was so, it is so, and it will be so. And if someone thinks that increasing the number of nationalists will bring changes, let him ask himself a question, let him look at the ultra-orthodox Tuvan Shoigu.