Ukrainian Orthodox Church renounces the Moscow Patriarchate Reports of deaths and injuries in Russian attacks Developments in the Ukraine war in the stern ticker.
Day 94 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine: The Ukrainian army remains under heavy pressure in the extreme east of its front against the invading Russian forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of a very difficult situation, but encouraged the military: “Donbass will be Ukrainian.” The war also affected the relationship between the Orthodox Church in both countries.
5.30 a.m .: The Ukrainian Orthodox Church breaks away from the Moscow Patriarchate
Because of the Russian war of aggression, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate declared its “complete autonomy and independence” from Moscow. The church in Kyiv said it disagreed with the position of Moscow Patriarch Kirill. Condemn the war and appeal to Ukraine and Russia to continue the negotiation process.
Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, stands firmly behind Russian President Vladimir Putin. Most recently, the pressure within the Church in Ukraine to break away from Moscow had increased. Priests had even called for a church tribunal against Kirill. In terms of number of congregations, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate is the largest of the three authoritative churches in Ukraine.
4.10 a.m.: Honorary award for Ukrainian mine detector dog at the Cannes Film Festival
An honorary award was presented to a Ukrainian mine detection dog at the Cannes Film Festival. The winner of the “Palm Dog Award” race on Friday was poodle Brit, who starred in Riley Keough and Gina Gammell’s film “War Pony” under the name Beast. The dog received a red leather collar as a trophy.
12:53 a.m.: Reports of dead and injured in Russian attacks
Ukraine has blamed Russia for the deaths of five civilians in the government-held part of the Donetsk region in the east of the country. “Today Russians killed five citizens of Donbass and wounded four others,” wrote the governor of the region, Pavlo Kirilenko, on the Telegram news channel. The Ukrainian army also spoke of heavy artillery, tank, mortar and air attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful residential areas. “The occupiers fired on 49 locations in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions,” it said.
12:34 a.m .: “Moscow uses a maximum of artillery and reserves”: Zelenskyj calls the situation in the Donbass very difficult
Zelenskyj described the situation in the Donbass as very difficult in view of the Russian attacks. Moscow is using a maximum of artillery and reserves there, Zelenskyj said in a video speech. The Ukrainian army is defending the country with all currently available resources. “We are doing everything to strengthen the army,” assured the President. As far as the currently fiercely contested locations in the Donbass are concerned, Zelenskyj was combative. “If the occupiers think that Lyman and Sieverodonetsk will be theirs, they are mistaken. Donbass will be Ukrainian.” If Russia brings destruction and suffering, Ukraine will restore every place. Only the Ukrainian flag will fly there and no other, stressed Zelenskyy.
