On the eve the 65th anniversary of Victory Day the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate Metropolitan Volodymyr received the commanders of military units of Russia, Belarus, and the presidential regiment of Ukraine.
KYIV – On the eve of celebration of the 65th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War (Soviet term for WWII) the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) Metropolitan Volodymyr received at his residence the commanders of military units of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, and the presidential regiment of Ukraine, which were to parade along Khreshchatyk on May 9. The commanders asked blessing of Metropolitan Volodymyr and thanked him for the opportunity to visit the Kyiv Cave Monastery, reports the website of the UOC-MP.
On the occasion of Victory Day the UOC-MP primate conferred the order of the UOC of the Holy Great Martyr George the Trophy-Bearer on the deputy head of the General Staff of the Republic of Belarus Ighor Glod, commander of the parade squad of the military troops of Belarus Col. Vladimir Rodnin, defense attaché of Belarus Col. Andrei Kaiuk, commander of the parade squad of the Russian Federation Col. Vadim Gridnev, assistant to defense attaché of the Russian Federation Viacheslav Kosov, co-worker of the military department of the Moscow Patriarchate archpriest Aleksander Soldatenkov, and commander of the presidential regiment of Ukraine Col. Victor Plakhotii.
Accompanying the group was co-worker of the UOC Military Department archimandrite Luke.