Fr Volodymyr Koskin was evacuated from Mariupol to Dnipro in March. He was the rector of the Church of Panteleimon the Healer of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The temple was bombed by Russian troops, after which the Russians killed his mother.
Volodymyr Koskin told his story opentv.media.
After the invaders began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the war bypassed his church for some time. But then the invaders dropped a bomb on him. In April, the priest lost his mother and was killed by Russian soldiers. The priest remembers everything he experienced with pain but also with faith in the future of Ukraine.
"I'll start with the flag: it's not just a flag. For me, these are two colors engraved in the heart and passed on to each of us with our mother's milk. Independence is the responsibility first and foremost. Without pathos and big words. We put on an embroidered shirt - vyshyvanka, but after the first shots, we run away. We build independence on everyday things: when I turned 18, my mother said that I was already independent. And I was responsible for myself, my family, and future generations. We all want the Messiah, but he will come from our people and save them. And what kind of leader next generations will have depends on us," Fr Volodymyr believes.
See the full interview for more detail.