Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The remarks follow a Russian strike on a 1,000-year-old monastery in Kyiv.
After a devastating Russian aerial attack, the head of Ukraine’s Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Epifaniy, branded Vladimir Putin the “Kremlin Antichrist”.
The message followed a massive Russian strike on the historic Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery on June 15. Epifaniy argued that Moscow simply wants to destroy the sacred site because it failed to capture it.
The religious leader also demanded immediate global intervention to halt the ongoing violence.
“What else must the Kremlin antichrist do for the world to realize that it must act decisively so that Russian terror against Ukraine and against the very principles of peace will end?” he wrote on X, slamming what he calls “Another Russian crime against humanity, against history, against Christianity.
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Facing spiritual warfare
Epifaniy directed harsh words toward Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church. Kirill has famously blessed the invasion, even calling the conflict a holy war on multiple occasions.
Epifaniy claimed that Moscow is actively trying to erase Ukrainian identity by targeting ancient sanctuaries such as the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery.
However, he remained confident that the local population would resist the psychological pressure.
“In this way, they are trying to break us spiritually. But we will pass through these trials. This cathedral has repeatedly seen destruction throughout history, and we will restore everything,” Epifaniy stated according to RBC-Ukraine.
The independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine broke away from Moscow in 2019. Meanwhile, the competing Moscow-linked branch has faced intense scrutiny from local authorities since the full-scale war began.
Fire and rescue
The fierce appeal came directly after a night of terror in the capital. A massive barrage of Russian missiles and drones slammed into multiple residential neighborhoods, causing widespread destruction.
The heavy bombardment knocked out electricity for 140,000 local residents and sparked major fires.
According to the Kyiv Independent, at least five people had been killed and at least 29 injured as of 1 p.m. GMT, while search-and-rescue operations were still ongoing.
Flames quickly tore through the roof of the landmark Dormition Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Priests and volunteers scrambled to rescue ancient relics and priceless icons before the fire and smoke consumed the historic building.
