Does Vlad Putin Believe He is the Orthodox Messiah?

Putin's Ukraine Move Meant to Reestablish Eastern Christianity

Apocalypse Kiev: In biblical religions there are essential elements of prophetic and messianic symbolism involving past and future events tied into the important apocalyptic events. This is true of Judaism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant and Muslim beliefs. Vlad Putin, after gaining ultimate power, supposedly had a Christian religious experience causing him now to wear a crucifix. But leftism, with its humanist conceit, is still prone to savior delusions. For example, British father of socialism, atheist industrialist Robert Owens, founded the socialist Utopia of New Harmony, Indiana – then came to believe he was the necessary messiah:

The second guiding force in Owen’s life was messianism and a belief in the eventuality of an earthly millennium. Yet he was openly anti-religious. He saw himself in a messianic role with a personal responsibility for causing the millennium (i.e., a New Moral Order) to come to pass.

Kiev is Putin's Jerusalem: If Putin badly wants Kiev, it may be because he believes this is his Russian Eastern Orthodoxy's Jerusalem. And if Putin looks everywhere on earth and only sees corruption, he could be framing his crusade in the notion that Russia will save the earth by this Church playing its proper role. See, “Saint Vladimir: Is there a religious angle to the invasion of Ukraine? One of the theories going round with Russia's invasion of Ukraine is that Putin wants to revive the grandeur of the Great Russian Empire or the Soviet Union at least. Another theory taking roots is Putin's quest to re-establish the Russian Orthodox Church.” Folks, all conquerors seek to justify their conquests. It's not so crazy a theory.

Russian Messiahs: But now the West is so irreligious, Putin's religion is obscured. So the question is – Does Putin's religious goals mean to build up his motherland's Christianity? Being a Russian messiah may be something in the water. Famed Russian composer Scriabin believed he was the messiah, all 5 feet of him. In 2013, a Russian of Chelyabinsk city changed his name to Yeshua Ben Maryam Al-Masih, or in Hebrew "Jesus Son of Mary, Messiah". Former traffic cop Sergei Torop, aka Vissarion, of the Church of the Last Testament, a Siberian Jesus was arrested September 2021.

Killing for God: Now, if Putin sees himself as a Christian, how would he justify killing others in the name of God? Putin must first see himself as a tool in the hands of God. The Old Testament itself commands some military actions for Yahweh, such as the killing of the Amalekites, Israel's original enemies whom Israel was commanded to destroy in Deuteronomy 25. Although, claiming to be a Christian warrior does not, in itself, justify any killings, but false on its face.

Russia's Conversion: According to tradition, Russia converted to Christianity before the year 1,000 AD, as described in Putin's Spiritual Destiny, where pagan leader Vladimir converted:

Returning to Kyev in triumph, Vladimir proceeded to summon the whole city to the banks of the river Dnieper for a mass baptism. The year is 988. This is the founding, iconic act of Russian Orthodox Christianity. It was from here Christianity would spread out and merge with the Russian love of the motherland, to create a powerful brew of nationalism and spirituality. In the mythology of 988, it was as if the whole of the Russian people had been baptised. Vladimir was declared a saint. When the Byzantine empire fell, Russians saw themselves as its natural successor. They were a “third Rome”.
Charlemagne: Russia was then de-Christianized during the Communist purges where ministers were tortured and killed and Russian Orthodox Church became a mouthpiece for the Marxist state. But who is Putin's role model to guide his nation towards establishing, or rebuilding a Christian Russian state? Well, Charlemagne, aka Charles the Great is considered the greatest leader in European history. Charles combined faith, education and support for the poor, warfare, conversion by sword, and brilliant kingdom building. So Putin no doubt venerates Charles. See BBC description:
Charlemagne spent the early part of his reign on several military campaigns to expand his kingdom. In 800 a rebellion against Pope Leo III began. Charlemagne went to his aid in Rome and defeated the rebellion. As a token of thanks, Leo crowned Charlemagne on Christmas Day, declaring him emperor of the Romans. Charlemagne introduced administrative reforms, establishing key representatives in each region and holding a general assembly each year at his court. He standardized weights, measures and customs dues, improving commerce and made crucial legal reforms. Consolidating Christianity throughout his vast empire, he persuaded many eminent scholars to come to his court for a new library of Christian and classical works.
Brother Vlad? So, is Putin a sincere Christian? Does he therefore seek to see Christianity's triumph? On the one hand, most will claim the question doesn't matter. But contra, what if he is a sincere, if no doubt heretic Believer who is trying to rebuild the Holy Russian Empire to further the faith? That might be valuable information, nonetheless – although sad to see Ukrainians slaughtered to achieve his epiphany. In fact, we reject the lie one Christian nation must slaughter another in God's name.

Putin Facts: But putting what we know together of what Putin believes is important. 1st, that Russia is a Christian nation. 2nd, that Ukrainians are Russian people and “Ukraine” itself does not exist. “Since time immemorial, the people living in the south-west of what has historically been Russian land have called themselves Russians.” 3rd. Russia has a right to reassemble the former USSR, including Ukraine.

Fourth, that Putin sells himself in the media as a Russian political messiah. 5Th, that Putin believes it's up to him to reassemble the Christian world, maybe to save society. 6th. It's possible that Putin thinks he is crucial for the 2nd Coming, or is an actual Messiah. 7Th, that everything Putin does, including all the deaths he cause, is justified to achieve this work is wholly godly spiritual killings. But it's all a Christian work for Putin, sincere or as simply a pose, as one writer states:

Many people don’t appreciate the extent to which the invasion of Ukraine is a spiritual quest for Putin. The Baptism of Rus is the founding event of the formation of the Russian religious psyche, the Russian Orthodox church traces its origins back here. That’s why Putin is not so much interested in a few Russian-leaning districts to the east of Ukraine. His goal, terrifyingly, is Kyev itself. Many people don’t appreciate the extent to which the invasion of Ukraine is a spiritual quest for him.
Religion + Blood: As a false religion, Marxism did present the Russian Revolution as a messianic event. But Putin puts together a religious and violent message which certainly reflect him as son of an atheist and Christian.
In the last year, Putin has spoken about a “nuclear apocalypse” more than any Western leader has over the last decade, causing some to speculate that he may be threatening NATO and the United States. But Putin has blamed the risk of a catastrophic outcome on the West, framing Russia’s hypothetical use of nuclear weapons as revenge or retaliation. Alexander Dugin, the leader of the Eurasia movement and arguably the Kremlin’s chief ideologist, calls Putin “katechon,” an Orthodox leader who prevents the “kingdom of the Antichrist,” which he defines as a combination of Western “globalization, post-liberalism and post-industrial society.”

Another writer notes Putin's religious conceits:

Putin’s transformation into a messiah-like figure wedded to a cult of the state has been illuminated in recent days. He is nurturing a new Leviathan set in a grim bedrock of revanchist conservatism. Armed with a belief in his historical destiny, Putin is acting more strongly and boldly. He is crossing red lines, sacrificing achievements like the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and exposing the economy to draconian western sanctions. Serving the “sacred state” reduces his personal culpability and frees him to act without restraint. But it also makes it much more challenging for others to deal with him. We are witnessing Putin’s increasing isolation, arrogance and disregard for decency.

Apocalypse Kiev: Some claim Putin fulfills a prophecy of the Apocalypse: “Rabbi Elijah of Vilna handed down a prophecy: "When you hear that the Russians have captured the city of Crimea, you should know that the times of the Messiah have started, that his steps are being heard.” So if Putin seeks to reunite Russia for the sake of saving the human race by Christianity, or simply to pave the wave for the 2nd Coming, he's not afraid to throw a few thunderbolts around to get there faster.