Don’t let media pictures of the cross ever present on the bare chest of Vladimir Putin fool you that he’s really a Christian.

Throughout the 70-year history of the Soviet Union, Christianity was suppressed and persecuted uninterrupted until Pope John Paul 11, President Ronald Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher brought down the Iron Curtain and Soviet Communism.

A bare two months later, ‘Christian’ Putin has returned the brutal heel of the Marxism-Leninism ideology which made atheism the official doctrine of the Soviet Union down on the people of Russia’s newly-acquired Crimea.

“In his state of the Nation speech last month, Putin asserted that, “Many Euro-Atlantic countries have moved away from their roots including Christian values…Policies are being pursued that place on the same level a multi-child family and a same-sex partnership, a faith in God and a belief in Satan.” Russia has adopted new laws that ban homosexual propaganda and criminalizes the insulting of religious sensibilities.” ( Breitbart , Jan. 29, 2014)

Don’t allow Putin’s contention that “America is Godless and has turned away from Christian values,” to confuse.

“The state was committed to the destruction of religion, and destroyed churches, mosques and temples, ridiculed, harassed and executed religious leaders, flooded the schools and media with atheistic teachings, and generally promoted atheism as the truth that society should accept. The total number of Christian victims of Soviet state atheist policies, has been estimated to range between 12-20 millions.” (Wikipedia)

The Soviet Union didn’t change when it became plain Mother Russia. The KGB tiger called Putin has never changed his stripes.

With yesterday’s cheers still resounding from the overwhelming 96.77 percent for Crimea to rejoin Russia and 2.51 percent against still resounding, the biggest victim of the referendum is Christianity—already being forced out.

“Earlier this month, Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests received oral and written threats warning them to leave Crimea.” (Vatican News)

Over the weekend, three priests of the Greek-Catholic church were missing in Crimea.

“On Sunday at around 2 p.m., the priest of the Greek-Catholic church, Mykola Kvych disappeared in Sevastopol.” (Democratic Alliance, March 16, 2014)

“According to the report, the last thing he managed to say: “If I do not get in touch anymore, then please report: they are smashing in the doors of my apartment on Khrustalova Street. They are the police and pro-Russian “self-defense”, there are many of them, I have metal doors, but I do not know how long they will stand.

“I spoke with Father Mykola today at around 12:00. He told me that Finnish journalists would come for an interview. Probably at the time of the attack, they could stay in his apartment,”—said the head of the Information Department of Greek-Catholic Church Ihor Yatsiv.

“Besides, parishioners of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from Yevpatoria reported that their priest Bogdan Kostecki had also disappeared today.

“They report that on Saturday he returned from western city of Ternopil, where he brought his family. On the same day he told his wife that he has already gone to Crimea, and then disappeared. His phones are switched off.

“It became known that Father Ihor Havryliv has also disappeared. According to the preliminary information, he was in a car together with Father Bogdan Kostecki.”

“Our priests and bishops have been very close to the people,” said Bishop Borys. “We’ve been inspired by the example of Our Lord [Who] went a long distance from fellowship with the Father to incarnate Himself and be in our reality.”

He said they have also been inspired by the words of Pope Francis “who said a pastor needs to have the smell of his sheep”. And our pastors have been with the people, and they’re today with the people enduring this occupation in the Crimea.” (Vatican Radio)

When utter control over vulnerable populations is the chief aim of politicians like Vladimir Putin, claiming to be Christian gets them to where they want to be.

Perhaps Putin learned that from President Barack Obama.

Religious oppression feared in Ukraine