Vladimir Putin is not just involved in a violent land grab. He believes he's fighting his own holy war to restore the ancient territory of the 'Holy Rus,' with the Ukrainian capital Kyiv as the 'Third Rome.'
Professor Jocelyne Cesari of the Harvard Divinity School is the author of the new book We God’s People: Christianity, Islam and Hinduism in the World of Nations.
In the first of a two-part series, Professor Cesari discusses what President Putin sees as a divine mission.
More Information
Presenter: Andrew West
Producer: Hong Jiang
Sound Engineer: Jennifer Parsonage
Subscribe to The Religion and Ethics Report on ABC Radio, iTunes or your favourite podcasting app.
Broadcast