Notes on Religion, the “Russian World” and human Rights

Abstract

This contribution analyzes the “Russian World” (Russkiy Mir) as a complex geopolitical construction that has evolved from a cultural concept into a state doctrine transcending physical borders. It examines the interaction between “traditional values” and securitization policies, illustrating how this ideology promotes a syncretism of religious messianism and territorial revanscism. Special attention is paid to the role of the Moscow Patriarchate, which provides the theological foundation for this doctrine, framing the Federation as a spiritual bulwark against Western decay and sacralizing the invasion of Ukraine as a “Holy War”. This theoretical elaboration justifies systematic violations of fundamental rights both internally, repressing religious minorities, LGBTQI+ individuals, and the press, and externally, fueling military aggression. Russkiy Mir represents not merely a rhetoric tool, but a neo-imperial political-religious project that challenges the contemporary liberal order. By establishing a moral and legal state of exception, this doctrine subordinates the inviolability of human rights to the supremacy of state interest.