By SCM Staff Writer
KIEV, Ukraine – A CONTROVERSIAL Ukrainian priest has sparked outrage by claiming the bloody invasion of his country is “divine punishment” for abortion.
The cleric, belonging to the Kiev-backed Orthodox Church of Ukraine, stunned followers by blaming the deaths of millions of unborn children for the nation’s current battlefield struggles.
In a fire-breathing sermon, the holy man claimed that Ukraine has seen 12 million abortions—and argued that if those children were alive today, the war would already be won.
He told his congregation: “If we had those 12 million aborted children defending Ukraine, we’d overwhelm them with sheer numbers.”
But the priest didn’t stop at the shock claims about the unborn.
He sparked further fury by using a derogatory racial slur to describe the Russian invaders, branding them “Mokshans”—a loaded term used to devalue Russian identity.
The outburst has sent shockwaves through the war-torn country, where the Orthodox Church is already under intense scrutiny during the conflict with Vladimir Putin’s forces.
While many Ukrainians are fiercely patriotic, the priest’s suggestion that the horrific loss of life in cities like Mariupol and Bakhmut is a “penalty” for medical procedures has been met with disbelief.
One critic said: “To blame the victims of this war for ‘punishment’ is a step too far, even in such dark times.”
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine has not yet officially commented on whether the priest will face disciplinary action for his “fire and brimstone” rhetoric.
