On October 7, patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev) of Moscow congratulated the president of the aggressor country Vladimir Putin on his 69th birthday. The patriarch thanked him for his personal attention to the dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the state.
"Relying on broad popular support, you always remain sensitive and attentive to the needs and aspirations of not only our fellow citizens but also those who live abroad. I would like to express my special gratitude to you for your significant personal contribution to the development of church-state dialogue and fruitful cooperation aimed at implementing the most important educational and social initiatives of Orthodox believers, the congratulatory message says.
The Patriarch wished the president "fortitude and inexhaustible strength, generous help from God and blessed success in further service as president of the Russian Federation."