At the 17th World Russian People’s Council, held on November 18–19 in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, Metropolitan Kirill of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk stated that around 50,000 Russian servicemen have undergone baptism in the area of the ongoing “special military operation.” His remarks were delivered during the session titled “The People and the Army Are One” and were reported by the Moscow Patriarchate’s Military Department.

According to the metropolitan, several military chaplains serving near the front lines have been killed while performing their duties. He emphasized that spiritual support remains a vital element of sustaining soldiers in combat conditions.

Addressing the forum’s participants, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Synodal Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces reflected on the moral legacy of the 1945 Victory in World War II.
“The memory of Victory is not a museum exhibit but a living moral measure, our responsibility to the past and the future,” Metropolitan Kirill said.

Also speaking at the session was Archpriest Dimitry Vasilenko, the chief military chaplain in the operation zone, who had arrived directly from the front. He described the work of field priests and shared personal observations, noting that many soldiers turn to faith for the first time while at the front.

This year’s Council is dedicated to the theme “On the 80th Anniversary of Victory: Defenders of the Fatherland — Military and Spiritual Feat.” Participants are discussing the unity between front and home front, the continuity of generations of victors, and the role of spiritual support for service members.