Russia’s war against Ukraine has been going on for 5 days. Ukraine is fighting bravely against the Russian invasion. Citizens of different nationalities and religions serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Territorial Defense, they speak different languages, but the enemy of all is the Russian occupiers.

On the first day of the war, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Onufriy, called Russia’s attack “Cain’s sin because it repeats the first sin of murder.” The abbot of the UOC-MP called on Putin to end the war.

Similar appeals were made by Metropolitan Augustine of Bila Tserkva and Boguslav, who asked for intensified prayers for the preservation of the lives and health of our compatriots, and especially our military and law enforcement officers, who stand in defence of the state and do not panic.

Metropolitan Pitirim of Kamyansk and Tsarychans called on all to pray for the gift of peace in our homeland and read an akathist at the revered Tikhvin image of the Blessed Virgin, before which during the war of 1941 prayers for peace were offered by the people of our city.

The statements and testimonies of the bishops of the UOC-MP deserve special attention, as the mentioned church has traditionally been considered pro-Russian.

On its website, the UOC-MP directly and publicly states that it helps the Ukrainian military and all victims of the war.

The Zhytomyr Diocese supports the military and defenders of Ukraine with prayers, food and medicine.

On the 5th day of the war, an appeal was published by the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in which they stated that they have always supported and continue to support the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and fully share the pain and suffering of our people.

Particular attention should be paid to the request was directed to Patriarch Kirill, with a call to him to turn to the leadership of the Russian Federation on the immediate termination of hostilities that can turn into a world war.

The UOC MP claims that a terrible war has already caused a severe blow to relationships between Ukrainian and Russian peoples, and if bloodshed will not be stopped immediately, the abyss between our peoples may remain forever.

The Russian government has no symbolic allies left in Ukraine, even in such a conservative structure as the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate. In antiquity, they were convinced that God’s mills grind slowly but surely (Sero molunt deorum molae). Ecclesiastes 8: 11-13 says that judgment is not soon to be taken, so the heart of the sons of men is full of them to do evil. Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and God postpones his judgment… And the wicked will not be well, and like a shadow, he will not have long days.

Hope that Patriarch Kirill will hear Metropolitan Onufriy, but the inevitability of punishment for sins will reach all those who gave the order to attack Ukraine. If the bishops of the UOC-MP compare this war with Hitler’s invasion, Ukraine will surely win.

Evgeniy Bilonozhko, editor of Polonews, analytic of The Center for Political Narratives of Democracy