Russian Forces Lose St. Dmitry Donskoy Relic During Retreat Near Lyman
Russian military forces reportedly lost a fragment of the right hand of medieval Moscow Prince St. Dmitry Donskoy during a chaotic retreat from the Lyman area in Ukraine’s Donetsk region in mid-September. The Russian Orthodox Church had dispatched the human remains to the frontline to boost troop morale, but pro-Russian military bloggers and Telegram channels later stated that the shrine was abandoned when troops came under Ukrainian fire during an officer’s prayer service, according to The Washington Post and The Moscow Times.
Frontline Deployment of Kremlin Relics
The remains originated from the Archangel Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin, where restorers opened the sarcophagus of St. Dmitry Donskoy in July following his victory over the Mamai Horde at the Kulikovo Field in 1380. Before the relics traveled to the front, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited them, and the Synodal Department for Relations with the Armed Forces announced on September 8 that the ark carrying the particle would enter combat formation alongside Russian soldiers. noted that prior to the frontline transfer, a religious procession carried the ark through the streets of Moscow, while Metropolitan Vladimir of Donetsk and Mariupol called for divine assistance for Russian troops.
Contrasting Reports on Relic Loss and Church Denials
Pro-Russian Telegram channels, including the Z-channel Alex Parker and ‘Kremlin Tabakereka’, stated that soldiers participating in the prayer service had to flee abruptly under Ukrainian shelling, leaving the sacred object behind. Conversely, Vakhtang Kipshidze, deputy chairman of the Synodal Department for Church-Society and Media Relations, dismissed the claims as false. Kipshidze stated that information regarding the lost relic is a malicious fabrication spread with anti-church intentions.
Broader Ukrainian Offensive Operations in Donetsk
The reported loss of the relic coincided with a major Ukrainian military operation in the Lyman area, termed operation ‘Vivaldi’ by The Washington Post. Independent military tracking and local reports indicate that Ukrainian forces liberated approximately 176 to 240 square kilometers of territory and captured 250 Russian military personnel. Commander Andriy Biletsky of the 3rd Army Corps stated that Russian units surrendered in entire formations, including officers, pilots, and artillery specialists.
Historical Precedents of Lost Frontline Relics
This incident follows a similar event in July, when Russian military forces lost a portion of the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky in the occupied territory of the Donetsk region. reported that the Nevsky relics were being transported for a prayer service amid fuel shortages when the convoy came under fire, resulting in the loss of the shrine and the deaths of its accompanying personnel. Previous frontline deployments by the Russian military also included particles of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, St. Luke of Crimea, and St. Matrona of Moscow, alongside various icons.
Frequently Asked Questions About the St. Dmitry Donskoy Relic Incident
When were the relics of St. Dmitry Donskoy sent to the frontline in Ukraine?
The Synodal Department for Relations with the Armed Forces announced the dispatch of the ark containing the particle of the saint’s right hand on September 8, following the discovery of the remains during summer restoration work in the Moscow Kremlin’s Archangel Cathedral.
Which Ukrainian location was associated with the reported loss of the shrine?
Pro-Russian military channels reported that the relic was abandoned during a rapid retreat under Ukrainian artillery fire near the city of Lyman in the Donetsk region, where Ukrainian forces launched a significant tactical offensive.
How has the Russian Orthodox Church responded to allegations of the lost artifact?
Vakhtang Kipshidze, deputy chairman of the Synodal Department for Relations with the Society and Media, publicly denied the loss, telling Russian media that the claims circulating on social networks and Telegram channels are malicious fabrications intended to discredit the church.
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