The Russian Orthodox Church is, as usual, in-line with the geopolitical mainstream of Russia.

Speaking during an annual Eparchial meeting in Moscow earlier this week, the Patriarch described boosting the country’s birth rates as an “imperative” for its survival.

“The well-being of the family, this small Church, and the proliferation of our people is an absolute imperative for the survival of our Fatherland,” Patriarch Kirill stated in his speech, which was carried by the Russian Orthodox Church press service.

“I’ll put it straight: if extraordinary and effective measures are not taken, then not during the lifetime of this generation, but during the next generations already, Russia may cease to be a great power, which means a potential loss of territories and, possibly, its disappearance as a single country,” he added.

Also, evidently having seen what has happened to the US and Europe, the Patriarch wants more real Russians, not generic stand-ins:

At the same time, the Patriarch warned against attracting more migrants into the country, which some might see as a quick way to alleviate the demographics issues. Should the current immigration trends continue, the country might ultimately lose its identity, he warned.

“The situation has worsened compared to last year,” the patriarch said. “The desire to obtain cheap labor for the sake of mainly short-term economic benefits should not attract to our motherland a huge number of people belonging to a different culture, who often do not speak Russian and have no respect for Russia and the peoples who live here,” he added.

Russia is not the EU and there is a very good reason to hope they’re about to right the ship of their great nation. SMO baby boom, now, please.