Though Russian culture and politics are, well ... unique, manipulation using religion/ideology is to be found worldwide, especially by authoritarian governments. It WAS a Russian, however, who nailed this relationship in a little book written about 100 years ago: “God and the State,” by Mikhail Bakunin, a leader in both the atheist and anarchist movements of his day.
Even under communism, the church elders received a paycheck.
I'm sorry. I thought the title said, "tranny"........I'll leave now..............