Russia calls on faith as drought slashes harvest forecasts

Russian Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut says Russians are being urged to go to church and light candles for the prophet Elijah due to a devastating drought. The prophet is considered the patron of rain and harvest.

Many pieces of information provided by Russian media or government representatives are elements of propaganda. Such reports are part of the information war waged by the Russian Federation.

The portal reported that due to the drought, the pace of winter cereal sowing has dropped to its lowest level in 11 years. In the European part of Russia, rainfall over the last 30 days has reached only 20% of the average. The problem may prove particularly severe in areas where the growing season ends early and the first frosts are starting to appear.

In an interview with Interfax, the minister admitted that all possible natural phenomena have affected Russia this year. "First, we had repeated frosts, then in April, the drought began. Siberia is flooded, locusts have appeared, and recently, sandstorms have occurred in the south," she enumerated.