Support For Ukraine Rises Worldwide As A Shadow Of War Falls Over Eastern Europe

A worship service at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Holy Ascension in Maplewood, New Jersey, on Feb. 27. Photo by Paul Glader / ReligionUnplugged.com

As Russian troops continue an invasion of Ukraine under the command of President Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainian diaspora and allies around the world are supporting a courageous resistance by Ukrainians.

From Oklahoma to New Jersey to Nairobi, faith communities are taking up collections, helping refugees and voicing opposition to the military invasion of Ukraine. Many believe that part of the motivation for the attacks is to expand the Russian Orthodox Church’s power in the Orthodox world. And Putin, at age 70, is making a desperate move to regain territory Russia once held as part of the Soviet Union. Both motivations create waves of anger and fear and the will to resist such totalitarian behavior.  

At LCC International University in Klaipeda, Lithuania, which has students from 70 countries, faculty are preparing plans to help students impacted by war finish their study programs remotely. One Ukrainian student wrote, “I just can’t concentrate. Would you mind telling me what’s on the exam again?”

Ukrainians make up 25% of the 780 students at LCC, a novel faith-based university that uses North American-style instruction. Lithuania is surrounded by Latvia, Belarus and a Russian-peninsula known as Kaliningrad. Visitors there insist it is like visiting Russia, where taxi drivers often can’t give change and resources are limited. Lithuania, Latvia and Kaliningrad are on the icy Baltic Sea.

READ: In Rural Oklahoma, Ukrainian Priest Prays For His Mother — And His Homeland

These days, the Lithuanian military is conducting training exercises — all routine — in and around Klaipeda. Each day, soldiers, called marines, use the gymnasium at LCC. They are tall, like the basketball players made famous by Lithuania, and they wear the game face of a police officer.

Klaipeda held a rally just a day after Russian tanks charged into Ukraine. People in the downtown square of the city sang songs and held up banners that said, “We Support Ukraine,” and cried. Many LCC students, most of whom are not Ukrainian, participated in the rally in the cold on an inky black night.

Reports from Ukraine

A communication professor, Alexandar Kholod, wrote from Kyiv on Feb. 27 that the night was restless in his hometown as an oil depot near Kyiv exploded around 1 a.m. and gunshots rang out in the streets. “A column of Russian tanks is moving 30 kilometers from Kyiv,” he wrote. “Sirens are wailing. Explosions are heard. The Ukraine army shot down a cruise missile five minutes ago.”

Kyiv officials asked residents to stay indoors until Monday. “The city is empty. People are in shelters and their homes,” Kholod wrote.

ReligionUnnplugged.com editors heard from several friends who work in journalism in Ukraine and who have attended the European Journalism Institute, which is hosted by The Media Project and the Fund for American Studies. One of the journalists, Mariya Kapinos, spoke with us for a recent podcast. Another, Iryna Ladyka, responded to our questions via social media.

Ladyka and her family live in Lviv in western Ukraine, where no fighting has happened but where families like Ladyka’s have their suitcases packed and ready to go to a bomb shelter at any moment. She said air sirens blared most nights last week. Residents of Lviv are hosting and helping migrants who came from Kyiv or other cities. When not in a bomb shelter, Ladyka is reporting “almost around the clock” to inform Ukrainians about war news.

“A full-scale war is going on in the capital of Ukraine and in many cities of the country,” Ladyka wrote, confirming news reports about the conflict. “Russia is dropping bombs on houses, hospitals and kindergartens.”

Ladyka urges Russian countries to completely disconnect Russia from SWIFT banking technology and urges companies such as Visa, MasterCard and Netflix to cut off use of their products in Russia. “Putin is now threatening the world with nuclear weapons,” she wrote. ”Russia must be stopped!”

Ladyka acknowledged a religious element to the conflict, saying, “Now see that the Kremlin wants to seize Kyiv and put a Russian protégé there.” She’s confident that Ukraine will resist the conflict from start to finish. She said she’s glad to hear Americans and others are praising the courage and leadership of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov. “These are very brave people,” she said. “And the whole of Ukraine admires them.”

Support for Ukraine from Nairobi to New Jersey

At a worship service at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Holy Ascension in Maplewood, New Jersey, this Sunday, a sign out front said, “Pray for Ukraine!” Inside the church, attendees grew from 20 to 30 to 40 to 50 as the morning service stretched well past two hours and melded into the afternoon feast.

Parishioners wore solemn expressions, the war in their home country overwhelmingly on their minds. An American flag and a Ukrainian flag stood in front of the altar and pulpit. One woman placed a basket on a table for people to donate to the Ukraine resistance. The service was focused on the liturgy’s scheduled Biblical readings on Judgment Day and Orthodox rituals as the service toggled between English and Ukrainian language.

The pastor, the Rev. Sviatoslav Hot, spoke about the second coming of Christ and urged his people to look toward their final destiny in eternity. “We need to live in consciousness and constant readiness,” Hot said. “He will come and wipe out every iniquity and injustice.” At one point, he told the flock that the church will host prayer vigils at 6 p.m. each day this week.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Holy Ascension in Maplewood, New Jersey. Photo by Paul Glader / ReligionUnplugged.com.

The Maplewood parish is part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, which is affiliated with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Russian Orthodox Church would prefer to see all Ukrainian Orthodox Christians under the authority of Moscow. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA already has about 80 parishes and its own seminary: St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Bound Brook, New Jersey.

“The scare and intimidation tactics with the presence of the armed vehicles and over a hundred thousand of soldiers around the borders of Ukraine combined with systematic cyber-attacks at all levels of life in Ukraine can only be interpreted as terroristic threats that target innocent lives of Ukrainian citizens,” leaders of the UOC of the USA said in a statement. “They seem to be instigated by an extremely low sense of self-esteem among the leadership of what has become the aggressor nation of modern times — which creates a very dangerous set of circumstances.” 

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Holy Ascension in Maplewood, New Jersey. Photo by Paul Glader / ReligionUnplugged.com.

At Boston’s St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Saturday, the Rev. Roman Tarnavsky prayed for those faithful who have passed away, including Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who have died in the recent attacks by Russian troops.

“Hear the voice of us sinners and protect all the people, oh Father, including the Ukrainian people in this difficult time,” Tarnavsky chanted in prayer. “The sick and malnourished and the servants in the armed forces — protect them from all mortal wounds and from all infirmities physical and spiritual.”

A mural of Prince Vladimir baptizing the Rus in Ukraine’s Dnieper River — the iconic 10th century inauguration of Christianity among the Rus people that Russia also draws its Orthodox heritage from — looked down upon parishioners from the church’s southern wall along with a stained glass window of Princess Olga of Kyiv, also considered a founder of Russian Christianity.

“We beseech your lovingkindness and abundant blessing upon the nation the people of Ukraine,” Tarnavksy prayed. Then he solemnly chanted the prayer provided by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA from a small piece of paper in his palm:

“Our brothers and sisters, Lord, are once again threatened by aggressors who see them only as obstacles blocking the path to the complete domination of the precious land and resources of the country of Ukraine. Strengthen the people as they face this great danger, turning to you in the immeasurably deep faith, trust and love they have placed in you all their lives. Send your heavenly legions, Oh Lord, commanded by the patron of Kyiv, Archangel Michael, to crush the desires of the aggressor whose desire is to eradicate our people.”

Depictions of Jesus’ resurrection and St. Vladimir the Great baptizing the Rus in Kyiv, the 10th century Christianization of the Rus people, including both present-day Ukraine and Russia. Photo by Meagan Clark.

In New York, the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Protection Holy Virgin, an Orthodox Church of America parish in communion with Constantinople, affixed a Ukrainian flag to its wooden cathedral doors. “We are all Ukrainians!” the church posted to its Facebook page.

In Nairobi, a picture of Ukrainian Christians kneeling on snow and praying for peace in their country just before the Russian invasion was an instant hit with Kenyans. Many who shared the photo pledged to pray for the European nation now under siege from its better armed and more powerful neighbor.

As the fight rages in the land far away from them, many Kenyans are united in prayer for victory for Ukrainians.

The Rev. Zeinab Hussein of the Latter Glory Church in Nairobi said, “A few of us prayed for Ukraine yesterday afternoon, and you could tell this battle is very intense in the spirit. I felt some warfare in the spiritual realm as I was praying. Let's keep on praying saints. Peace upon the nation of Ukraine.”

The Rev. Alfred Arita is one of the members of Kenyan clergy who has followed Ukraine since the conflict started. On Monday, he shared a letter from his friend, pastor Igor from Lviv, Ukraine: “Please tell your people, because of their prayers, God has been really fighting our battles. The rockets disappear in the air before reaching our homes and no one knows where did they go. Russian tanks run out of fuel, the enemy soldiers ask our people for directions and food, that is God because we are fighting the second strongest army in the world.”

Away from the spiritual and in the political realm, Kenya’s Permanent Representative Martin Kimanu caused a stir at the United Nations in New York, unleashing an unprecedented attack on Russia — a move hailed across the globe as very brave. He said Russia should learn from Africa, where even after colonialists patched up countries and divided communities, Africans have forged ahead with the quest for peace.

“This situation echoes our history,” Kimanu said. “Kenya and almost every African country was birthed by the ending of empire. Our borders were not of our own drawing. They were drawn in the distant colonial metropoles of London, Paris and Lisbon, with no regard for the ancient nations that they cleaved apart. Today, across the border of every single African country live our countrymen with whom we share deep historical, cultural and linguistic bonds. At independence, had we chosen to pursue states based on ethnic, racial or religious homogeneity, we would still be waging bloody wars these many decades later.”

For history watchers, Kenya’s stand against Russia came as no surprise. From its independence in 1963, Kenya aligned itself with former colonial master Great Britain and the United States. “The first U.S. ambassador to Kenya, Michael Attwood, captured this very well in his book ‘The Red and the Blacks: A Personal Adventure,’ in which he described how the Soviets and Chinese were keen on disrupting the newly independent state,” veteran journalist Kamau Ngotho told ReligionUnplugged.com. Kenya’s ties with the U.S. have remained strong, and so far, President Uhuru Kenyatta remains the only African leader to have met U.S. President Joe Biden since he took office in 2021.

A Minority of Russian Sympathizers

While support for Ukraine resounded on social media, mainstream media and in protests in Russia, the United States and everywhere in between, of course some religious people and non-religious people take the side of Putin and Russia.

In Kenya, Apostle Nickson Orieny of Temple of God Ministries told ReligionUnplugged.com that what Russia was doing was right. He says Ukraine is at the heart of Russia’s spirituality and that Putin should not let that country go. Orieny said:

“For years I've been following the Russian politics and I am truly impressed with the leadership of Vladimir Putin. For a long time Russia has been looking for the leader bold enough to unite the former USSR by first recapturing the heart of Russia and when he was proven they brought him back into office as President. Vladimir Putin clearly understands why he is President at such a time as this— to primarily capture and restore the heart of Russia. Ukraine is the spiritual heart of Russia and without it there is no complete Russia. I stand with Russia in this and those opposing its well pre-ordained actions are ignorant of spiritual facts which determine the political actions we are witnessing today.”

For the most part, Lithuanians support Ukraine unconditionally, but not all. During a taxi ride from Palanga to Klaipeda Sunday — 30km — a former Russian military man, now living in Lithuania as a driver, denies that a war is underway. He thinks the pictures shown on broadcasts are five years old and manipulated. "Politicians lie," he said. "News— it's all lies. I drive all day and don't listen to the radio because they play two songs and then blah, blah, blah— news. I don't believe it, my friend."

Banks are restricting withdrawals and transactions with Belarus, a Soviet era stronghold, and Russia. PaySera, the app many in Lithuania use like a debit card, sent all its customers a note saying it is restricting transactions. The note said, “We would like to inform you and all other clients of ours that Paysera stands in solidarity with Ukraine and in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine has decided to apply restrictions that will affect monetary transactions with Russia, as well as accounts held by Russian clients, and more.”

Ukraine’s Fight for Independence

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA Metropolitan Antony and Archbishop Daniel noted that neighbors have targeted Ukraine throughout its history because of natural resources, wheat and the “incredibly rich black soil” that earned her the moniker “the Breadbasket of Europe.” It’s because of this agriculture and strategic location “so many countries have attempted to annex, dominate, subordinate and benefit” from Ukraine for more than 1,000 years.

“It is no secret that Russia, under the guise of the ‘Soviet Union’ wanted not only the rich natural resources, but just as importantly, a buffer zone between itself and the rest of the Western world,” they wrote. “Ukraine, as a blossoming democracy inspires surrounding nations. Therein lies the key to comprehending modern Russian and other earlier invasions.  In seeking to control the land, the resources and the political system, hardly a thought has ever been given to the real people who live in that land.  These people are the ‘nation’ of Ukraine, and that nation possesses a self-identity that is impossible to annihilate.”

They recount centuries of invaders who ran roughshod over “the nation.” They talk about the millions of Ukrainian Jews who were killed during the Soviet Union and its Holodomor (famine) as well as the Holocaust of World War 2. “Throughout all this history of terror, the self-identity of the “nation” survived – in the hearts, minds and souls of the people.”

Meanwhile, the men and women of Kyiv are taking up guns, stockpiling Molotov cocktails and preparing to battle Russia’s troops to the death. Ukrainian journalists are also telling the story day in and day out as they also beseech the world for help.

“The world must stop Putin, the world must stop the war between Russia and Russian soldiers in Ukraine,” said Ladyka, the journalist in Lviv. “My country is now defending the independence of Ukraine and the whole of Europe, Ukraine is now fighting for democratic values.”

Reporting by Michael Ray Smith from Lithuania, Tom Osanjo from Nairobi, Kenya, Paul Glader from New Jersey, Michael Finch from Tennessee and Meagan Clark from Massachusetts.