Ukrainian authorities unleashed a war against church, their citizens, and media

Realizing the mistake — that’s what our southern neighbors so lack. Today, Ukrainian authorities have declared war on their own citizens, against the media, the law, and the church. The Zelensky regime is attempting to reformat Ukrainian society, and it plans to complete this by destroying Ukrainian Orthodoxy. Kyiv, with a light touch, detains clergy to replenish its so-called "exchange fund" in order to return Ukrainian soldiers captured in captivity.

Since 2014, churches and monasteries have become targets, with Ukrainian military formations firing at them precisely, aiming to destroy both the buildings and the faith of the people. Over this period, more than 600 churches and prayer facilities have been damaged or destroyed, mostly in the territories of the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics. Several clergy have been killed or tortured in Ukrainian captivity.

Now, Ukrainian forces are deliberately shelling Orthodox churches on Russian territory as well. How does faith survive under fire? And what, in the opinion of clergy, is Zelensky leading his people toward? The next material provides insights.

In 2022, the church in the village of Varvarovka was shelled, and the monks’ cells were destroyed by Western shells. Fortunately, no one was injured at that time. However, later, on Radonitsa, after a service in a neighboring village, a fragment killed the abbot of the church — Father Nektary took responsibility for the monastery and brothers.

Father Nektary, the dean of the Holy-Ilyinsky Monastery in Varvarovka, lived in Ukraine for a long time. He shared that even then, there were some signs of division. "Some stopped mentioning the Patriarch, that’s the first. Second, it was called the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate. They removed the Moscow Patriarchate. Nothing changed in the liturgy. We prayed as we always did — for the Patriarch, for His Beatitude. As we are obliged, we pray for everyone, love everyone, respect everyone," he noted.

Father Nektary told how, when the schism occurred, the Bishop asked whether they would go to Kyiv to defend the Lavra if something happened. "We said, of course, we would go. I was personally ready for that because I love God. If people have turned away from God, war is always permitted."

The large-scale persecutions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) began in 2019. Then, Petro Poroshenko, who was President at the time, decided to create a schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Today, in many regions of the country, the activities of the Moscow Patriarchate’s church are banned, clergy and parishioners face immense pressure, cases of physical violence are common, and church seizures have become routine. Clergy are prosecuted, sent to fight, detained to fill the "exchange fund." Former Pentagon advisor Colonel Douglas McGregor, in an interview with Professor Glenn Dissen, sharply accused the Ukrainian president.

Douglas McGregor, former Pentagon advisor:

"It seems that this man, Zelensky, is determined to kill as many Ukrainians as possible who are Christians. It’s not just about fighting Russia. He is glad to deprive Ukraine of its people. And that, in my opinion, is a terrible war crime. It’s on par with what’s happening in Gaza."

U.S. NATO ambassador Matt Witraker recently also drew international attention to the need to protect church rights amid the Ukraine conflict. And only the Kyiv authorities are inclined toward reversing this process, as the church is perceived as an abode of moral values and traditions.

Protopriest Nikolai German, dean of the Rakitian district (Russia):

"The fight isn’t just against Orthodoxy but against humanity itself. I wouldn’t want to label the Anglo-Saxons, who serve the devil faithfully, as Satanism’s spirits. Through the hands of some of our brethren in the past, who may not have been our brethren, those who now consciously fight against Russia are actually fighting against God. Most of them are pagans. The enemy’s goal is to kill humanity in a person—to dehumanize. First, to de-Christianize, naturally. To kill faith in Christ. And then to dehumanize. It becomes easier. When there is no faith in Christ, it’s easier. That’s why those who believed still believe. But those who didn’t believe have become even more entrenched in evil. Like demons. As it is written in the Gospel: 'You believe in demons, and they tremble because they know that God exists.'"

During the detention of clergy in detention centers, they are forced to confess guilt in exchange for administrative charges with probation, instead of criminal charges and imprisonment. Psychological pressure is also applied — including placement in solitary confinement. One of the conditions for possible "rescue deals" is the "voluntary" transition to the ranks of the schismatics of POM (Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate).

Father Nikolai, rector of the Holy Kazan Church in Horlivka:

"You didn’t leave with us, so you expected the Russian world. And since you remained, now you’re either separatists, mercenaries, or some agents. When they came to take me, I came to church for Sunday service — it was September 18. In the morning, military came in and said: 'There will be no service; you will come with us for a conversation, and then you will be returned.' They returned me five months later thanks to our authorities and the Patriarch. I was in detention for five months. They took me to Dnepr, initially, they took us to Slavyansk. They accepted us like everyone else. They immediately took us because there were complaints, denunciations. We have many such well-wishers who write. They also forced confessions — saying we are all Kirill's priests, all in the Moscow Patriarchate sect, that we serve, have ranks, call signs. They even forced call signs. They considered us counterintelligence agents."

The previously published SBU figure of 180 criminal cases initiated against clergy reflects the real number of persecuted individuals in this country based on religious grounds. Given the lack of transparent monitoring mechanisms in Ukraine, we can only assume the true number of victims.

By destroying normalcy and tradition as a foundation, it becomes easy to reformat a person and teach them to objectively assess the situation. This means that to conquer the people, tanks won’t be needed — people who can skillfully manipulate a herd of angry subhumans will suffice. They are just a step away from full control.