Ukraine’s religious communities condemn the so-called referendums in the Russian-occupied eastern Ukrainian territories as an illegal violent attempt at annexation. The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations said the occupation authorities’ action was “arbitrary” and violated international law and the Russian Federation’s contractual obligations towards Kyiv.
Kiev’s Greek-Catholic Archbishop Svyatoslav Shevchuk described the sham referendums in his daily video message (Saturday) as an “instrument for the persecution and humiliation of people”. He called for prayers for those who are playing a political game. God should help the Ukrainian people , “to survive under these circumstances and to preserve one’s dignity and love for the fatherland”.
The war against Ukraine instigated by Russia is aimed at seizing part of Ukrainian territory and destroying the Ukrainian state; that violates international law.
The body includes 15 denominations, Christian, Jewish and Muslim, as well as the Ukrainian Bible Society. According to its own statements, it thus represents more than 95 percent of the country’s religious communities.