Russia Religion Watch @russreligionwatch.bsky.social · 30/06/2026My latest newsletter looks at the dual machinery of the Russian state and church. In late 2024, the Russian Orthodox channel Spas launched "Russian Ark," an English TV show casting Russia as a refuge for Westerners fleeing "liberal decadence". 1/5 100
Russia Religion Watch @russreligionwatch.bsky.social · 30/06/2026However, looking beneath the surface reveals that the exact same men producing this show also run "The Russian Community," the country's largest nativist street movement, responsible for hundreds of aggressive police-backed raids targeting labor migrants. 2/5 100
Russia Religion Watch @russreligionwatch.bsky.social · 30/06/2026This might seem like a contradiction, but it’s a single machine using "traditional values" to sort desirable vs "contraband" migrants. While the welcoming "Ark" struggles for an audience, the anti-migrant street patrols boast over 640,000 followers and deep oligarch backing. 3/5 100
