Why Russia is sending dead princes and saints into battle

Russia is actively leveraging religious and nationalistic sentiment to bolster the morale of its forces engaged in the conflict in Ukraine, while simultaneously intensifying its cyber warfare efforts against Ukraine's digital infrastructure. Fragments of the remains of medieval Russian warrior-saint Dmitry Donskoy have been dispatched to military bases and units along the front lines in Ukraine, a move intended to "spiritually strengthen" troops. This initiative aligns with a broader strategy by the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church to frame the conflict as a righteous and defensive mission, drawing parallels to Donskoy's historic victory over the Mongols in 1380. The Russian Orthodox Church has become a key partner in disseminating a pro-military narrative, promoting national unity, and President Vladimir Putin has publicly celebrated the discovery of Donskoy's relics.

Concurrently, Russia has escalated its cyberattacks, targeting Ukraine's critical digital infrastructure, including datacenters and internet service providers in Kyiv. These sophisticated assaults aim to disrupt essential services, such as banking and public administration, as winter approaches. Recent incidents include drone strikes on telecommunications companies and alleged sabotage of a Starlink satellite station supporting Ukraine, indicating an increased scale of these digital offenses. In response to these persistent threats, Ukraine has partnered with OpenAI to implement AI-powered cybersecurity tools to defend its vital networks.