Kathrine Frich
His remarks have stirred renewed debate over how far religious institutions can go in justifying state-led military action.
For centuries, the order “thou shalt not kill” has been one of the clearest instructions in the Ten Commandments, upheld across Christian traditions as an absolute moral boundary.
In most contexts, taking a life is treated as a direct violation of God’s law, and religious leaders rarely offer exceptions.
Yet in Russia’s war against Ukraine, one of the country’s most powerful clerics is now arguing that this commandment does not apply to soldiers on the battlefield.
A shifting message
Speaking at the World Council of the Russian People, Patriarch Kirill insisted that Russians fighting in Ukraine are not breaking the biblical ban on killing.
LA.LV and the Moscow Times reported that he framed combat as moral resistance rather than an act of violence.
“When evil takes people’s lives, when the enemy threatens the lives of old and young, women and children, then inaction is unacceptable. In such a case, not resisting evil is supporting murder,” he declared.
He said those defending the country and “protecting the lives of the weak and defenseless” are acting in accordance with God’s commandments.
He added that society “has no right to sacrifice our neighbors and expose our compatriots to attack.”
Church rationale
According to the Moscow Times, Kirill referenced the Russian Orthodox Church’s long-standing appeal to the concept of “just war,” citing the Gospel phrase, “He who takes the sword will perish by the sword.”
While he acknowledged war’s inherent sinfulness, he said the Church allows believers to fight if doing so protects their community or re-establishes justice.
He drew on the memory of the Second World War, saying “entire nations were saved,” and argued that today’s conflict can similarly be viewed as a “holy war.”
He noted that the wartime song “Holy War” has become, in his words, an unofficial anthem of Russia’s military.
Faith and loyalty
In his book On Holy Russia: Patriotism and Faith, the Patriarch encouraged Russian troops in Ukraine to remember the promise of eternal life should they die in combat.
He also urged the Church to “mobilize” alongside the state and pray for President Vladimir Putin, whom he described as a “sincere believer” and a regular churchgoer who “is never ashamed to go to church or partake of the holy mysteries of Christ.”
Addressing fears of nuclear escalation, Kirill added that Orthodox Christians do not dread the end times.
“We are waiting for the Lord Jesus, who will come in great glory, destroy evil and judge all nations,” he said.
Sources: LA.LV, Moscow Times
