After the Night Tragedy in Kyiv, Head of the UGCC Calls on the International Community to Help Stop Russia’s Aggression Against Ukraine
On the night of April 24, 2025, Bright Thursday, Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack on Ukraine. The most devastating consequences struck the Sviatoshynskyi district of Kyiv, where at least eight civilians were killed and over 70 injured. Rescuers continue to search under the rubble of the destroyed residential building.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and called on the international community to unite in an effort to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine.
“Last night, on Bright Thursday, Ukraine endured yet another night of fear following a massive missile and drone attack by Russia. The consequences of this barbaric aggression are especially harrowing for the residents of the Sviatoshynskyi district of Kyiv, where search and rescue operations continue beneath the rubble of a destroyed building, where phone calls are still heard from under the ruins, and where two children remain missing,” said the Head of the UGCC.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted that among the more than 70 wounded are children and a pregnant woman. Except for the eight already identified victims, fragments of bodies have also been found, but their identities have not yet been determined.
The Head of the UGCC expressed his gratitude to the rescuers, medics, and military personnel who “fearlessly and sacrificially saved lives, and who continue to work at the scene of the tragedy, pulling people from the rubble and helping those in greatest need.”
“I call on religious leaders, heads of state, and public figures across the international community to speak with one voice, to issue a united appeal, and to act together to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine,” urged His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
In his address, the Head of the UGCC called for support for Ukraine’s survival:
“Let us help to silence the weapons on our long-suffering land, to restrain hostilities, and to establish a just and lasting peace. For today, the Risen Christ—our peace—stands among us and breathes His peace upon us. Let us allow Him to work through us. Let us help stop the war. Let us help Ukraine to survive and live.”
The UGCC Department for Information
