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In the digital age, controlling what people see online is the ultimate tool for staying in power.
Governments around the world have tried everything from firewalls to total blackouts to keep a grip on information.
But a new tactic relies on an ancient power to convince people that losing their internet freedom is actually good for their souls.
Sins of social media
The Russian Orthodox Church has stepped directly into the Kremlin’s digital war. According to a June 1 report by Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, the church is using theological propaganda to justify massive state internet censorship.
Religious leaders are openly telling citizens to embrace these new restrictions. Church officials have argued that “technological civilization fades before eternity.”
The church even released a documentary on its TV station, Spas, framing social media accounts and online profiles as forms of “magic” and digital extremism.
The Ukrainian center assessed that the church is providing a direct service to the state. By using its religious authority, it hopes to quell public anger over the disappearance of the open internet.
Preachers face sanctions
The deep alliance between the church and President Vladimir Putin is drawing heavy international backlash. The European Union is drafting its 21st sanctions package, which officials expect to finalize by early summer.
For the first time, these European restrictions will target high-ranking church figures. Patriarch Kirill, the head of the church, is at the top of the list.
Kirill has frequently defended the invasion of Ukraine using religious language, even claiming that Russia has no history of aggression. He already faces sanctions from Britain, Canada, and the Czech Republic.
Total digital lockdown
Moscow has spent years slowly choking off access to the outside world. Authorities banned Facebook and Instagram back in 2022 before slowing down YouTube and restricting apps like WhatsApp and TikTok.
By last year, the state had caused more than 37,000 hours of digital disruptions, United24Media reported.
The final blow landed in March 2026, when Russia launched a nationwide “whitelist” system that blocks everything except government-approved sites.
This massive change triggered immediate internet blackouts across 68 regions. By trapping citizens on monitored platforms, the Kremlin has successfully pushed people to censor themselves.
Sources: Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation (CPD), United24Media
