Metropolitan Epifaniy of the OCU called on the international community to act and stop the destruction of Ukrainian cities and villages and their inhabitants.
The respective appeal was posted on the website of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, LB.ua reports.
"On behalf of hundreds of thousands of residents of Mariupol, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Gostomel, Irpen, Bucha and others who are now being killed by Russian troops, I raise my voice and call on states and International Institutions: Act! Act so that Russia immediately stops the barbaric destruction of Ukrainian cities and villages and their inhabitants," the Metropolitan said.
The full text of the appeal is given below:
Dear brothers and sisters,
My appeal today is dedicated to the bleeding, painful, terrible wound on the body of our people – civilians who are now seriously suffering from Russian aggression.
Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Irpen, Bucha, Gostomel, numerous cities and villages in the Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Kherson, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv and other regions of Ukraine are daily subjected to barbaric attacks by Russian troops. For this purpose, rocket and bomb attacks from the air, attacks by conventional and rocket artillery are used.
The enemy purposefully destroys civilian infrastructure, destroys residential buildings, kills and intimidates civilians. Despite the statements and agreements, only today, for the first time, it was partially possible to install so-called "green corridors" in some places for the removal of refugees and the delivery of food, medicine, and water.
The situation in Mariupol, which is blocked by Russian troops, is particularly terrible.
I understand that there is no practical point in appealing to the Russian occupiers, so I just want to warn them that for the bloodshed, for the suffering and tears, for the destroyed lives, each of them will personally answer to God and receive the merciless punishment promised by the Lord in hell of fire for their criminal ruthlessness.
I appeal to the international community: the Ukrainian people want to understand why the system of international law exists, why the UN and OSCE exist, why the words "Never Again" are repeated every year on May 8? After all, today the norms of law are trampled underfoot, Russia openly mocks the UN and OSCE mechanisms, and everything that we have read and heard from witnesses of the events of World War II is happening again in Europe.
Therefore, on behalf of hundreds of thousands of residents of Mariupol, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Gostomel, Irpen, Bucha and others who are now being killed by Russian troops, I raise my voice and call on states and International Institutions: Act! Act so that Russia immediately stops the barbaric destruction of Ukrainian cities and villages and their inhabitants.
With pain in my heart, I offer prayers for the victims of Russian state terrorism, and I ask the Lord, His Most-Pure Mother, and all the Saints for their help, protection, and defense. I pray for the peace of the souls of the innocent victims. I call on all people of good will to this prayer.
May the Almighty, as a Righteous Judge, take pity on the suffering of the Ukrainian people and pass his judgment on the merciless murderers! May the wrath of God and the inevitable retribution promised to the murderers fall on them!
I wish the Ukrainian soldiers, the president and the entire state, our people, with the help of the Lord, to achieve victory over the aggressor and fair peace.
Lord, oh the Great and Almighty, protect our beloved Ukraine!