Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill on the eve of the Day of the baptism of Russia, sent a letter To the presidents of Russia and Ukraine Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko, in which she expressed deep concern of the Russian Orthodox Church what is happening in the East of Ukraine, informs the press service of the Patriarch.
"The achievement of peace agreements in Minsk stopped the escalation of the conflict and inspire hope for a full cessation of hostilities between warring parties. Unfortunately, military operations, though Not in the same scale, continue in our day. Ukraine bloodshed, killing of citizens " ? Reported in the Patriarchal statement, published on the Internet office of the ROC.
The Patriarch said that in the current situation of the most vulnerable elderly, children, persons with disabilities." Not everyone has the strength and ability to leave their homes. Not all, unfortunately, still survive in terrible conditions. Someone dies under fire, someone ? from hunger and disease, lack of medicines and medical equipment and basic living conditions " ? recalled the head of the Orthodox Church. The Primate noticed that the Church is providing all possible assistance to the victims on both sides of the conflict. In all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church at every Liturgy prayers return of peace. His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine Onufry headed by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are doing all they can to reconciliation and to the restoration of unity of the people ". According to his vision, to provide security to the civilian population of the region is possible only by the complete cessation of hostilities, strict observance of the Minsk agreements and direct dialogue between all parties to the conflict. At the end of the Patriarch on behalf of the entire Russian Orthodox Church appealed To the presidents of Russia and Ukraine " to use all his efforts to stop the bloodshed ". Since mid-April last year, the Kyiv authorities are in the East of Ukraine "special operation" to suppress the protest movement in the Donbass. Refers to a large number of dead and wounded among the civilian population and the destruction of houses and infrastructure. According to the summary data of the UN, the victims of the conflict began more than 6, 4 thousand People. With fifteen February, the parties to the conflict in the Donbass declared a truce in Minsk after almost 16 hours of negotiations. However, despite the control system of the ceasefire, for the last time period shelling in Eastern Ukraine again became frequent.

sections: Politics