Russian Bishop Says Soldiers Find 'Peaceful Souls' After Amputation in Ukraine War

A senior cleric in the Russian Orthodox Church has claimed that soldiers who lose their limbs in the war in Ukraine "acquire peace and tranquility in their souls," sparking public outrage.
Bishop Pitirim (Tvorogov) of Skopin and Shatsk made the remarks during a meeting with students at the Ryazan State Medical University. He described a "spiritual law" in which the loss of something "earthly"—such as arms or legs—results in a spiritual gain. "They lose their arms and legs, but their souls become peaceful," the bishop stated, adding that he had personally seen veterans who were "happy and peaceful" after suffering amputations.
The bishop's comments are part of a broader pattern of the Russian Orthodox Church providing ideological justification for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Bishop Pitirim himself has a history of making extremist statements, including calling feminism a "deadly sin" and suggesting women can provoke rape through their appearance.
In his address, he also asserted that Russian soldiers who die in the conflict become "saints." The statements were widely condemned on social media, where critics described the church's rhetoric as a "cannibalistic" attempt to glorify the immense suffering caused by the war.