From President to Divine Protector? Putin Elevates Himself to New Heights With Godly Rebrand

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/from-president-to-divine-protector-putin-elevates-himself-to-new-heights-with-godly-rebrand/

Until recently, Vladimir Putin insisted, at least publicly, that he didn’t want a cult of his personality. Not anymore. During the last three years of the war he started in Ukraine, he has embraced it.

The serious Putin talked about the war even on Orthodox Christmas, which comes in January, at the country’s main church, the Christ the Savior Cathedral. The Kremlin informed Russians that Putin had asked the country’s top priest “to engrave his own initials” on chains for the crosses worn by soldiers