Russian Orthodox Church Official Labels Ukrainian Leaders as 'Satanists' to Audience Applause

Metropolitan Kirill's Address

According to Главком: During a conference titled 'The Defense of Orthodoxy and the Russian World – A Guarantee of Russia's Transformation,' Metropolitan Kirill (Pokrovsky), head of the Russian Orthodox Church's Synodal Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies, denounced Ukrainian leaders as 'satanists.' His remarks were met with prolonged applause from the audience.

Specifics of the Statement

In his speech, the Metropolitan specified that among those he considers satanists are:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,
• Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Kyrylo Budanov,
• former President Petro Poroshenko.

He stated that 'among all Ukrainian presidents – they are satanists, starting from the first.' The Metropolitan also emphasized that the fight against this 'satanism' is difficult and, in his view, requires 'prayer, God's power.'

Kirill (Pokrovsky) referenced words of Christ from the Gospel concerning the casting out of evil spirits. He stressed that, alongside the professionalism of soldiers and weaponry, prayer and fasting are crucial in this struggle. The conference also referenced a prior prayer by Patriarch Kirill for successful negotiations between the Kremlin and White House leaders and for friendship between the great nuclear powers.

Metropolitan Kirill's speech underscores the religious and ideological dimensions of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Such rhetoric is part of a broader pattern within Russia, where religious narratives are increasingly used to frame geopolitical struggles. His words may be interpreted as part of a wider propaganda effort to legitimize aggression through moral and spiritual narratives, potentially influencing domestic Russian sentiment by framing the war as a necessary spiritual battle requiring unity and divine support.