Oh no, not another new topic! About a former atheist state

[abaris]

Putin has a cynical hand in this.  Never forget the wise words of Thomas Jefferson.

In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own.

-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Horatio G. Spafford, March 17, 1814

It's only that I would turn the quote around in this instance. Putin knew that he needed some kind of ideological support for what he was planning. Jelzin had already prepared the soil for the return of the church. Remember that big religious celebration when the remains of the imperial family were returned? That was in 1997 I believe. Jelzin consciously played to the Imperial glory of Russia and Putin only took it to a whole new level.

I'm pretty sure that as a high ranking former KGB officer he knew all about sentiments within the people and which strings to pull to get all the diverse factions within Russia to align at some common ground.