Fr. Zheplinsky: Russian missile attacks have targeted civilians

By Svitlana Dukhovych and Francesca Sabatinelli

“We survived, thank God we survived an attack conducted with over 100 missiles.” Father Taras Zheplinskyi, chief editor of the Communication Department of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, speaks to Vatican News’ Svitlana Dukhovych from Kyiv in the wake of the massive Russian air attack which on Thursday night hit the Ukrainian capital along with other Ukrainian cities, including Odessa, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Lviv and Dnipro.

Overall the strikes killed  at least 18 people, including two children of  six and eight, and injured over 100. "Most of these attacks – said Fr.  Taras - were aimed at killing civilians rather than sodiers ."

The priest  said the bombings targetted  a maternity clinic, schools, shopping centers, buildings  with flats. “People were sleeping - he explained - that's why the attack was not against the military. They are not fighting against an army, it is a war against civilians, Ukrainian civilians.”

Deaths are not statistics

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Friday  that it was  the largest Russian air attack in recent months,  saying most of the missiles were intercepted and shot down by Ukrainian anti-aircraft units.

“Sometimes – continued Fr. Taras – it’s difficult to describe what we experience. The first thing you do when you hear a missile about to fall or when you hear an explosion is to find out any possible information. You call your loved ones make sure everything is okay, if they have all survived."

This is exatly what happened  to him: during the attack he was away from his wife and son because he was celebrating Mass: "I couldn't call and didnt know the target of the attack, " he said. 

The tally of the dead and injured by the strikes  is constantly updated “but as a priest - said Fr. Taras  -  I would like to ask to go beyond  statistics because behind every number there is a lost or injured life. After surviving this attack, I thank God, I pray for the dead and the wounded and I ask you to pray and try to help the suffering people of Ukraine,” he said.

Christmas, source of hope and strength

This was the second Christmas of war for Ukraine, "and Christians, celebrated it", even if before, there had been discussions on whether or not it was appropriate to do so , the Greek Catholic priest said.  “We celebrated and, as we experience war in Ukraine, we welcomed God who was born among us. And this was the main message of this celebration: God is with us."

And it is precisely from this important message that Father Zheplinskyi and the the faitful are drawing the strength to move forward, despite the conflict and the dangers.

“If God is with us we move forward ,  he said. “Sometimes people lack hope, they lack the source from which to draw strength. Christmas has become the source of hope and strength. God is with us, this is the important message that I too, as a priest, have tried to convey to the frightened people of Ukraine."