re: #13 Sergey Romanov

>> The expansion of ROC’s undue influence is there, though.)

> It’s a strategy on Putin’s part. He believes he needs to increase the non-Muslim* birthrate in Russia and promoting Christianity and its emphasis on children is a way to do that.

Um, no, there’s nothing to suggest the link. Moreover, there’s no evidence Putin even thinks in terms of Christians v. Muslims. That’s a frame you’ve taken from European (and a bit of US) politics and applied out of place.

It was a partial extrapolation, both from Putin’s desire to increase the birth rate (I remember reading about that) and the traditional Russian emphasis (even under the USSR) on the ethnic Russian population.