the russian president on the other hand makes a point of showing his close proximity to the orthodox church it's seen as a pillar of bloody near putin's russia but the increasing influence of the church is divisive here. it all started with pussy riot a few years ago the punk bands protest against the lack of separation between church and state got the women sentenced to two years in a prison colony and insulting the feelings of believers became a criminal offense in russia. the allegation is becoming increasingly common production of wagner's opera time highs and of a c.b.s. was labeled blasphemous and bound. the portrayal of an affair between tsar nicholas the second who was canonized by the russian orthodox church and a ballerina in the film matilda also caused