A well-known priest from the Moscow region, Valery Soskovets, has sparked outrage by posting a video on his YouTube channel in which he urges his parishioners to participate in the war, likening it to a “holy war” and promising heavenly bliss in return. His words have drawn significant backlash and are being compared to the rhetoric of ISIS terrorists, who promise an afterlife in exchange for self-sacrifice.
Soskovets declared that “every baptized child is destined to take part in war,” emphasizing that this struggle is an integral part of Christian life. In his sermon, he stated, “War cannot end with a peace agreement or compromise… This is a war to the heavens or defeat that leads to the devil.” The priest called for sacrifice in the name of Christ, asserting that dying in battle for the faith is better than dying of illness.
The Moscow Patriarchate continues to actively support the war in Ukraine, calling it “sacred.” At the end of March, Patriarch Kirill signed a decree stating that all of Ukraine’s territory must be included within Russia’s sphere of influence. In previous statements, Kirill claimed that dying in war washes away all sins, further fueling dangerous rhetoric.
In response to these events, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has passed a law banning the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church and its affiliated organizations in Ukraine, recognizing them as accomplices in Russia’s aggression.
