President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Russian forces have killed 50 priests and destroyed around 700 churches during the war.
He shared this information in an interview with CBN.
"Russians treat Ukrainian churches similarly to schools. Everywhere they occupied, they destroyed schools and churches, aiming to leave no trace. Many priests were captured or killed. To date, they have killed 50 clergy members. They were killed in various ways. There is clear evidence of how they were tortured. Why? Simply because they were ‘expected’ to serve Patriarch Kirill and the Russian church, but instead, they served the people and God," Zelensky explained.
He also highlighted that Russian forces targeted religious sites, including churches.
"What did they gain by destroying about 700 churches? They bombed and shelled them, and in places they occupied, they simply set them on fire," the President said.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, as of October 25, 2024, 2,109 cultural infrastructure sites in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed due to Russia's full-scale aggression.
