The Russian political elites have in the past used the Russian Church to provide the regime with ideological support. This gives the regime a socially reactionary political character. Now it is trapped between its desire for accommodation/integration with the EU and its support for institutions that are obstacles to this process. Perhaps they should dig up tho old arguments for the separation of Church and State. In any case this problem will not go away. The Russian government signed the relevant international agreements that imply social equality irrespective of sexual orientation. They should either comply or abrogate the agreements.