#RussianWarCrimes “Religious freedom is one of the first things to come under russian fire. Russia cannot be a defender of traditional values because this country does not value human life”, - Viktor Yelenskyi, Chairman of the State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, said at today’s opening of the exhibition documenting russian crimes against religious freedom in Ukraine. 

Over 500 religious sites were destroyed or damaged, part of russia's larger attack on Ukraine's identity and statehood. What is particularly appalling, is the support of the Kremlin-pliant Orthodox church of Moscow Patriarchate of russia’s war against Ukraine.

Deputy Chief of Mission Denys Sienik was honored to open the exhibition at Museum of the Bible together with Viktor Yelenskyi and Borys Gudziak, Archbishop of Philadelphia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

russia not only destroys our temples and churches, but also uses religious institutions to consolidate control of the temporarily occupied areas where only churches linked to the Kremlin are allowed to function. We first saw it after the illegal annexation of Crimea and occupation of the parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The exhibit is a call to action – to unite in preserving Ukraine's future as a democratic state. Our cultural and religious heritage is a crucial part of our common defense.

The Embassy expresses gratitude to the organizations that collaborated to make this exhibit possible:

• the Heritage Emergency Response Initiative, 
• the National Memorial to the Heavenly Hundred Heroes and Revolution of Dignity Museum (Maidan Museum),
• the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the WWII, 
• the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” 
• and Charitable Foundation “Ukrainian Lavra”