Russian leadership does not understand what bomb it planted under themselves – Mykhailo Panochko

Interview by Sophia Bohutska

It is already for the third time that representatives of different churches assemble in Dnipropetrovsk  region for  interdenominational prayer for peace. In addition to local Protestant and Catholic ministers, it was attended by guests from other regions.

The final word was said by senior bishop of the Church of Evangelical Faith Christians of Ukraine Mykhailo Panochko. A RISU reporter asked Mykhailo Panochko about the situation in the Church, the attitudes towards mobilization, how the Pentacostals serve in Eastern Ukraine and whether they stay in contact with Russian pastors.

- Mr Panochko, what happens to your churches in the occupied territory of Ukraine that is controlled by the so-called DNR and LNR?

- There, in the occupied territories, almost everything is done underground. There are dangers, as they have aggressive attitude towards our believers and it threatens many pastors. We went through a very painful page of our church, when two priests were seized in a house of prayer. One of them had three children, the other had eight. And the two pastor’s sons were taken too. All the four were brutally tortured in Slovyansk. And the spirit of hatred for believers is present in all the occupied territories.

Therefore pastors took their families and went away from there. Those ordinary believers remaining there are trying to give people some bread, do social work, charity work and gather undercover somewhere in their homes.

- Yes, the incident was told in the media. It happened on the day of Holy Trinity. How did the church receive such a loss?

- It was awful. The church bore it with fortitude, no panic followed. But 11 children orphaned. These were of our two deacons and two pastor’s sons. They wanted to take the pastor, but he went out at the moment. Instead, they took the two sons.

And what is sad for us, the Moscow Patriarchate priests blessed to fight against our army. Our people were charged with a basic sin that they actively supported the Ukrainian army. This is their version. But, in my opinion, they were actually killed because they belongedEvangelical Church to intimidate our entire movement.

- And do you communicate the believers from Russia?

- We have good relations. We invested a lot of effort there. Our Church of Ukraine sent many missionaries there –to most of all former CIS countries. From Moscow to Magadan our missionaries built hundreds of temples, founded hundreds of prayer houses and made great spiritual contribution to Russia. Nenets, Chukchis, Mordvinians, Tuvins– I personally visited them. And because of this aggression coming from Russia, our relations are such that our views diverged. We understand that Russia performed an act of aggression, and they do not want to admit it. Our Ukrainian missionaries are working, but not all people understand them. I was told by our pastors there:“We are just anxious we were not persecuted.”

So the pastors from Ukraine think one way, and the people there think a different way. They did not try to bring them over. Although I told them – you have to influence them. But I cannot convince them, because pastors are risking their lives.

In general, the Russian leadership does not understand what kind of bomb they put under themselves. They cultivate hatred for people so that people are willing to tear Ukrainians to shreds. But this hatred will work against them. I cannot configure a normal state tuning people against another nation. Politicians have their mercantile goals, but people do not understand. It will hurt Russia itself, because every evil has destructive force. Only good can create. Therefore, Ukraine is a cut above that because Ukrainians have no hatred for the Russians. We occupy a position of truth that our country was the victim of aggression. I pray to God for it.

- Now there is a debate on advisability of citizens’ draft into the ranks of the Armed Forces. What is your Church’s attitude to military draft?

- We have a lot of freedom in the country. I have the right to alternative service – not to refuse but possibly contribute what you can do for your country. There is service without arms. Not everyone has the courage to go with a weapon on another person. And it is tactically wrong sending to the front a man who has no courage. It is better to use talents and opportunities of every person.

- You are not for the first time in Dnipropetrovsk. What is a confessional climate there?

- I am grateful to God that all of us are associates in many respects. In Kyiv we set the tone to have a commonality between religions. I’m not talking about ecumenism, but peaceful fraternal dialogue, cooperation. Dnipropetrovsk region follows this community way. This is the right way, God likes it. And we add intensified prayers that the Lord looked down onto our land.