Pope Francis stated that the brutality of the Russian military, with which they operate in Ukraine, is not characteristic of the Russian people.

He stated this in a conversation with journalists upon his return from Bahrain, writes Vatican News.

The Pope mentioned the Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky, who, according to the pontiff, "inspires Christians to understand Christianity" to this day.

"I am amazed - and that is why I use the word "long-suffering" (literally: "martoriata" - "subjected to torment" from "martoriare" - "to torture, torment") - this cruelty, which is not characteristic of the Russian people, perhaps … because the Russian people - this is a great nation; this is the (cruelty) of mercenaries, soldiers who go to war as an adventure, mercenaries. I prefer to think of it this way because I have high esteem for the Russian people, for Russian humanism. Just think of Dostoevsky, who to this day inspires us, inspires Christians to think of Christianity," Francis said.

"When I was eleven years old, there was a priest close to me who celebrated in Ukrainian and had no altar boys, and he taught me to serve Mass in Ukrainian, and all these Ukrainian songs I know them in their language because I learned them as a child," Francis said.

He also said that in his childhood, he knew a Ukrainian priest who taught him to serve during the Ukrainian liturgy.

"So I have a very great affection for the Ukrainian liturgy. I am in the midst of two peoples that I love. It's not just me. The Holy See has had many confidential meetings, many good results," he said.