It is not only in the United States that the role of religion in the military has become controversial. Today's Moscow Times reports that the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church in the military has been growing. Although Russian law does not provide for the position of military chaplain, about 150 Orthodox Christian churches operate at military bases across the country. Defense Ministry officials would like to move to formally hiring Orthodox chaplains, hoping it will increase soldiers' morale and combat growing problems of hazing and suicide in the military. But nongovernmental organizations are concerned that chaplains of other faiths and denominations will not be hired, and fear that there will be official pressure on soldiers to attend Orthodox services. Some scholars say that such a close relationship between the Orthodox Church and the military would be unconstitutional, because it will blur the lines between church and state.
There are currently 2,500 officers in the military who are responsible for morale. Sergei Melkov, a consultant on military issues to the Muslim Council of Muftis, which also has a cooperation agreement with the Russian military, suggested that "Giving priests the status of chaplains would look like acknowledging that these officers have been failing at their jobs." Oleg Askalenok, head of a Protestant umbrella group, the Russian Military Christian Union, said the Orthodox Church was preventing other denominations, including Protestants, from preaching in the military by calling them cults.
