Zelenskyy: "Russia Attacked 800 Religious Sites, 120 Clergy Members Killed"
Fighting Continues Ahead of Peace Talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russian attacks had destroyed or damaged about 800 religious sites in Ukraine and killed about 120 clergy members.
On November 1 (local time), Zelenskyy made the claim in an excerpt from an interview with the U.S. current affairs program "This Week on Capitol Hill" that he shared on social media.
"About 800 religious sites have been destroyed or damaged by Russian forces, and about 120 clergy members have been killed," Zelenskyy said, adding that "these were deliberate attacks, not accidental ones." He stressed that even buildings with a 1,000-year history had been targeted.
In June 2026, the Church of the Dormition at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Ukraine, reportedly suffered serious damage both inside and outside after a Russian attack. It was the second time the site had been damaged this year, following an attack in January. UNESCO added the monastery to its List of World Heritage in Danger in 2023, but damage has continued since then.
Zelenskyy also rejected claims by some that Ukraine persecutes religious minorities. "Ukraine is a country where freedom of religion is firmly guaranteed," he said, explaining that current issues, including humanitarian assistance, are discussed through a council comprising representatives of 15 churches and religious organizations.
The previous day, Zelenskyy also met Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in Istanbul, Turkey, to discuss humanitarian issues.
Hot Picks Today
"Two Spend 500,000 Won in a Flash, Yet Wait Two Hours?" ... 'Dreamland' Shunned by Kids and Foreign Tourists
- The Era of Getting 200 Million Won After 30 Years Is Over... A Japanese Bank's "Perpetual Department Head" Who Just Clocked In Cries Out
- Spain Hit by Its Worst Tragedy... Lee Kangin, Moreno and Real Madrid Join Soccer World in Mourning
- They Said, “Make It Your Home for Life” - Then Suddenly Kicked 200 Passengers Off... What Happened to the Around-the-World Cruise?
- "130 Rice Bowls Sold Out in a Day"... 'Unfiltered Face' Adds 8 Million Won to Night Market Sales: China's Bungeunwoo
Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine are preparing for peace negotiations this month in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the United States acting as mediator, but fighting between the two countries continues. On November 1, an oil refinery in the Kstovo area of Russia's Nizhny Novgorod Oblast reportedly suffered extensive damage in a Ukrainian attack. The area is home to the NORSI refinery, one of Russia's major oil refineries.
© The Asia Business Daily. All rights reserved. Unauthorized AI training and use prohibited.
