Major Archbishop Shevchuk: War crimes in Ukraine must be condemned

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

February 24 will mark the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine with Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbour in 2022. The number of deaths continues to rise, as does the level of destruction in the conflict that actually goes back ten years, with Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Pope Francis' appeals for the beleaguered nation are too many to count, and include his latest appeal at the Wednesday General Audience, where he called, once again, for an end to the suffering.

Reflecting on the current situation during a press conference organized by the Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, lamented the tragedy that continues to harm his people and country.

The conference was organized to mark the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the armed conflict in Ukraine, which began with the invasion of Crimea and parts of Eastern Ukraine, on February 20, 2014, as well as two years of the full-scale invasion of 2022. The Foundation, which has dedicated its 2024 Lent Campaign to Ukraine,  hosted the event to learn more about the situation Christians face in the country.

Suffering, deaths continue

In the almost two years since Russia’s full-scale invasion, the number of military casualties has climbed to an estimated half a million, according to unofficial agency estimates.

Nearly 22,000 civilian casualties have been inflicted by fighting and air strikes, and some 17.6 million Ukrainians are in great need of humanitarian assistance.

Some 6.2 million people have fled Ukraine, and more than 5 million others are internally displaced, as bombardments continue every day.

Condemnation of war crimes

During the Conference, His Beatitude said "It is very important to condemn war crimes," as he recalled for instance the massacre in Bucha, warning that if they go unnoticed, war crimes will be replicated around the world.

This condemnation, the Major Archbishop insisted, means stating a firm no to war. 

"People in Ukraine," the head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church continued, "are being killed because they are Ukrainians."

His Beatitude Shevchuk decried in particular that children and families are dying and he recalled the more than 500 children who have died and the over 1,200 who have been injured since the start of the war. He also decried the fact that numerous Ukrainian children have been deported to Russia and the many families who have been separated.

He also discussed how in the most devastated areas of the nation, the presence of his Church, is prohibited, noting that in Eastern Ukraine, there are no priests and people cannot go into the churches, whose doors have been sealed shut.

Despite the immense suffering, he noted, that as a Church, "We are bringing hope to our people," as he expressed gratitude for the fact that through worldwide solidarity, "no one in Ukraine has died from humanitarian causes," such as from hunger or thirst.

'Too traumatized to speak'

Also speaking at the event was the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, who pointed out that those who have visited Ukraine return home "unable to speak," because "they are so traumatized by what they have seen."

Archbishop Kulbokas also warned against the education crisis in the country, outlining that already, for four years, "in a great part of the country, between the pandemic at first, and then the full-scale invasion, "there are no schools in presence.'"

In addition, he highlighted the great work of humanitarian organizations, especially ACN, but lamented that smaller charitable entities "have had to give up" because they often ran out of funds, and had issues crossing borders or delivering supplies.

The Nuncio,  in a special way, remembered the Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests who have been kept in captivity after the war that started ten years ago, saying "We are with them, and we start our day, praying for them."

Attacks on children and families 

According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), which monitors and publicly reports on the human rights situation in the country, at least 641 civilians were killed or injured in Ukraine in January 2024, continuing a trend from December 2023 of increasing civilian casualties.

The UN statistics also show that civilian casualties in January were 37 per cent higher than in November 2023, mainly due to intensified attacks by Russian armed forces across the country with missiles and loitering munitions.

Given these attacks affecting areas far from the frontline, there was an increase in the number of children killed and injured.

Families too constitute a larger proportion of casualties far from the frontlines because many families with their children have been evacuated from the frontline communities. 

The UN mission verified that 40 children were killed or injured in January, up from 18 in November. 

Aid to the Church in Need's support to Ukraine

Two years after the full-scale invasion on 24 February 22, ACN has approved 630 projects, including 117 Mass stipend projects, amounting to over €16.5 million to support the Catholic Church of both rites all over Ukraine.

Thanks to the generosity, prayers and sacrifice of ACN benefactors, both in 2022 and 2023, Ukraine has been the country most supported worldwide by ACN.

More than 2,200 displaced people have benefited from direct humanitarian aid thanks to ACN's benefactors.