This was stated by Metropolitan Kirill of Stavropol, who heads the Military Department of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Upon arriving in Kursk, he prayed both for Russia's victory and specifically for Putin, Belousov, and other Russian officials responsible for the war, SOTA reports.
Additionally, the Russian Orthodox Church has set up its operational headquarters in the Kursk region to support the army.
It should be noted that the Russian Orthodox Church views Putin as a fighter against the Antichrist, and Russia as the katechon (i.e., a force that prevents the end of the world). In addition, on July 1, the State Duma held a roundtable discussion on the fight against Satanism.