Zelensky says Russian forces killed about 120 clergy members and damaged 800 religious buildings in Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces have killed about 120 clergy members and religious representatives in Ukraine during the war. He also reported that around 800 religious buildings have been destroyed or damaged, describing the attacks as deliberate and saying some of the affected sites are thousands of years old.
Key points
- About 120 clergy members and religious representatives have been killed in Ukraine, according to Zelensky.
- Around 800 religious buildings have been destroyed or damaged.
- Zelensky said attacks on clergy, churches and religious institutions were deliberate rather than accidental.
- Russian forces used drones, winged missiles and ballistic missiles against religious buildings.
- Ukraine's Ministry of Culture counted 2,138 damaged or destroyed cultural heritage sites by the end of August, including 47 completely destroyed.
- The ministry also counted damage to 2,640 cultural institutions, including 569 that were completely destroyed.
- The scale of destruction may be greater because accurate counting is impossible in temporarily occupied territories.
Why it matters
The reported deaths and damage link attacks on religious figures and institutions to the broader destruction of Ukraine's cultural heritage and civilian infrastructure. Zelensky characterized the violence and attacks on religious sites as deliberate rather than incidental to military operations, while some affected buildings have histories stretching back thousands of years and cannot be fully restored through ordinary repairs.
What happened
Zelensky said about 120 clergy members and representatives of religious organizations had been killed in Ukraine during the war. He also reported that Russian forces had destroyed or damaged around 800 religious buildings, using drones, winged missiles and ballistic missiles. Ukrainian reporting cited figures from the Ministry of Culture showing broader damage: 2,138 cultural heritage sites had been damaged or destroyed by the end of August, including 47 completely destroyed, while 2,640 cultural institutions had been damaged and 569 completely destroyed. The ministry warned that actual losses may be greater because precise counting is impossible in temporarily occupied territories. Zelensky also reported the persecution of Christians and the detention and torture of pastors there.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian sources emphasize Zelensky's account of deliberate attacks on clergy, churches and religious institutions, with particular attention to approximately 120 deaths and around 800 damaged or destroyed religious buildings. Coverage highlights the use of drones, winged missiles and ballistic missiles and frames the damage as a loss of Ukrainian heritage, history, art and architecture. It also presents the Ministry of Culture's broader statistics while noting that the tally is incomplete in occupied territories.
Background
By the end of August, Ukraine's Ministry of Culture reported damage to or destruction of 2,138 cultural heritage sites, including 47 completely destroyed. Another 2,640 cultural institutions were damaged, including clubs, libraries, museums, theaters and art schools; 569 were completely destroyed. The ministry said the real scale of destruction may be larger because accurate counting is impossible in temporarily occupied territories.