Speaking in Brest, Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, called on the Orthodox clergy of Russia and Belarus to work on strengthening faith for the "defense of the Fatherland," and used a meme that is usually applied to employees of repressive security forces.
"Addressing our episcopate, the clergy, not only those present here, but the entire episcopate and clergy, I want to say once again: 'Work, brothers'," said Kirill.
"Our future — both as a people and as a church — largely depends on how the consciousness of young people will be formed, how devoted they will be to the Motherland and the church," the patriarch stated.
Patriarch Kirill's visit to Brest is timed to the 85th anniversary of the beginning of the "Great Patriotic War." On the night of June 22, Kirill will visit the Brest Fortress, where he will serve a litany and join the traditional requiem rally.
Patriarch Kirill is closely connected with the secular Russian authorities and is known for his active, open, and unambiguous support for the bloody war unleashed by Moscow in Ukraine.
The phrase "Work, brothers!" consciously used by him, is actively used in Russia and Belarus primarily in a militaristic and repressive context.
It first appeared in July 2016 in Russian Dagestan and is associated with the death of junior police lieutenant Magomed Nurbagandov. When Islamist militants captured him and demanded that the man address his colleagues and call on them to leave service in the security forces, Nurbagandov looked into the camera and said: "Work, brothers!", after which he was shot.
Subsequently, this phrase was widely replicated and popularized by Putin's propagandists and transformed into a widespread ideological cliché. It became the unofficial motto of Russian security forces (Rosgvardia, OMON, special forces, police) and is often found on posters, banners, and chevrons. With these words, Russian military bloggers, propagandists, and generally supporters of war and repression support and inspire the security forces.
Therefore, in the modern context, the use of this phrase is perceived as an integral element of military propaganda and militarism. It is often used to approve harsh actions by security forces during the dispersal of peaceful rallies or war crimes. These words have also been widely used and continue to be used to encourage participants of the repressive structures of Lukashenka's regime.
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