(RNS) In March, Metropolitan Tikhon was seen at Putin's side as the president made his first visit to Crimea since full-scale war broke out between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022.
Russian Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov), appointed head of the Crimean Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church, has compared occupied Crimea with Kolyma [during the mass repressions of 1932-1954, correctional labour camps with particularly difficult living and working conditions were located in Kolyma in the far east of Russia - ed.