Metropolitan Epiphanius, the head of the largest church in Ukraine, urged the international community to act and stop the destruction of Ukrainian cities and villages and their residents.
The appeal appeared on the website of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
“I am raising my voice on behalf of hundreds of thousands of residents of Mariupol, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Hostomel, Irpin, Bucha, and others, whom Russian forces continue killing, and urge states and international institutions: Act! Act so that Russia immediately stops the brutal destruction of Ukrainian towns and villages and their residents,” metropolitan said.
Here is the text of the statement:
Dear brothers and sisters!
My address today is dedicated to the bleeding, painful, terrible wound on the body of our people - the civilians who are now suffering severely from Russian aggression.
Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Irpin, Bucha, Hostomel, numerous cities and villages in Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Luhansk regions, Kherson, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, and other areas of Ukraine are daily subjected to brutal attacks by Russian troops. They use missiles and airstrikes, shelling by conventional and rocket artillery.
The enemy is deliberately destroying civilian infrastructure, destroying homes, killing and intimidating civilians. Despite the statements and agreements, only today, for the first time, it was possible to partially establish the so-called “humanitarian corridors” in some places for the evacuation of refugees and the delivery of food, medicine, and water.
The situation in Mariupol, blocked by Russian troops, is particularly dire.
I understand that it makes no practical sense to address the Russian occupiers, so I just want to warn them that for the bloodshed, for suffering and tears, for ruined lives, each of them will personally answer to God and receive the merciless punishment promised by the Lord in hell for their criminal ruthlessness.
I appeal to the international community: Ukrainian people want to understand why the system of international law exists, why the UN and the OSCE exist, and why the words "Never again" are repeated every year on May 8? After all, today, the rules of law have been stomped upon, Russia is openly mocking the UN and OSCE mechanisms, and everything we have read and heard from witnesses to the events of World War II is happening in Europe again.
That is why, out of the hundreds of thousands of residents of Mariupol, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Gostomel, Irpen, Bucha, and others are now being killed by Russian troops, I raise my voice and urge the states and international institutions to act! Act so that Russia immediately stops the brutal destruction of Ukrainian towns and villages and their inhabitants.
With pain in my heart, I offer prayers for the victims of Russian state terrorism; I ask the Lord, His Immaculate Mother, and all the saints for their help, protection, and defense. I pray for the peace of the souls of the innocent victims. I call on all people of goodwill to this prayer.
May the Almighty, as a Righteous Judge, look upon the suffering of the Ukrainian people and pass judgment on the ruthless murderers! May the wrath of God and the inevitable retribution promised to the murderers fall on them!
I wish the Ukrainian soldiers, the President, and the whole state, our people, with the help of God, to achieve victory over the aggressor and just peace.
God the Great, the One, save Ukraine for us!