About 120 representatives of the Ukrainian clergy have been killed, and about 800 religious buildings have been destroyed or damaged since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“About 120 representatives of various religious institutions were killed by the Russians“, Zelensky said in an interview with the program “This Week on Capitol Hill“. According to him, the attacks on clergy and religious sites were not accidental.
Zelensky pointed out that among the damaged or destroyed buildings there are religious sites whose historical roots date back about a thousand years. The data was presented by the Ukrainian president and is not accompanied by an independent breakdown by type of religious community or by region.
Meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul
On the same day, Zelensky met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul. The two discussed Kiev's contacts with the US side within the framework of the peace process, Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and the humanitarian operation in the temporarily occupied Oleshki.
The Ukrainian president said that people had been rescued from Oleshki. He described the operation as an important result and expressed hope that international pressure on Russia would lead to the expansion of similar steps towards de-escalation.
“We hope that the world will put pressure on Russia to expand these steps towards de-escalation“, Zelensky said.
The president congratulated Patriarch Bartholomew on the 35th anniversary of his enthronement, which will be marked on November 2. Zelensky thanked him for his public support for Ukraine and for his prayers for peace.
Sources: pravda.com.ua