"Betrayal and crime": the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches expressed outrage over the corruption scandal in Vladimir Zelensky's entourage

The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (AUCCRO) issued an official address to the people and authorities of Ukraine in connection with the recent large-scale corruption scandal. The religious leaders called corruption in war conditions a betrayal and a moral crime, calling for a fair investigation and inevitable punishment of those responsible, as well as the preservation of national unity in the face of external aggression.

According to a statement published on the official website of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, the latest news about schemes of illegal enrichment involving high-ranking officials has caused deep heartache and indignation. The AUCCRO emphasized that while warriors shed blood for freedom, corrupt abuses are perceived as «an insult to the feat of the defenders and the sacrifice of the entire nation.» Such actions, according to the Council, undermine the state’s defense capability, demoralize society and actually help the aggressor.

«Corruption is a sin, and in times of war it is not just a violation of state laws, but also a moral crime against our defenders and all our people,» the appeal reads. In this regard, the WCCIRO called on the President, the Government, the Verkhovna Rada and all competent law enforcement and judicial bodies to ensure a fair investigation. The Council insists that the punishment for the perpetrators should be inevitable, regardless of their official position or connections.

Addressing Ukrainian society, the religious leaders urged citizens to be emotionally balanced. They recognized the people’s right to be outraged, but stressed that this impulse should be channeled in a constructive direction — to eradicate corruption, not internal strife. «We warn: political confrontations and internal quarrels only weaken our forces and play into the hands of the aggressor. Our determination in this struggle cannot overstep the boundaries of state law, much less destroy statehood itself, » the Council said.

In conclusion, the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations reaffirmed its solidarity with the people of Ukraine and its defenders, as well as with all those who honestly perform their state duty. The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations called to unite efforts to counter both the external enemy and internal corruption, as only the establishment of truth and justice can become a solid foundation for the future of Ukraine.

We shall remind you that earlier the hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) drew attention to the fact that the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations ignores the violation of the rights of clergy and believers of the UOC. The bishop cited the example of forced mobilization of the UOC clergy, noting that the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations does not seem to notice what is happening.