Russian Orthodox Church denies loss of Dmitri Donskoi relics near Lyman

Reports suggest that Russian military forces may have lost religious relics attributed to Prince Dmitri Donskoi during a retreat near the city of Lyman. The relics, which included fragments believed to be from the prince's right hand, were sent to the front lines by the Russian Orthodox Church to provide “spiritual consolidation” for soldiers.

Some accounts indicate that the location where officers held a prayer service was bombarded, forcing a rapid retreat and the abandonment of the relic casket. While Ukrainian media and certain Telegram channels have reported the loss, the Russian Orthodox Church has denied the claims. Vakhtang Kipșidze, vice president of the Church's synodal department, described the reports as “fiction” spread with “anti-church intentions.”

The relics had previously been part of a religious procession in Moscow and were used in services in occupied Donetsk. This incident follows previous reports of other religious items, including icons and fragments of other saints, being transported to the conflict zone.