KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Ukraine observed its third Easter during the ongoing war, with Russia launching a series of drones in the country’s east where tensions on the front line are escalating. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Ukrainians to come together in prayer and referred to God as an “ally” in the conflict with Russia.
The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia had deployed 24 Shahed drones, with 23 of them being intercepted by air defenses. Six individuals, including a child, sustained injuries in a drone attack in the eastern Kharkiv region, according to regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov.
Debris from downed drones caused fires in buildings in the adjacent Dnipropetrovsk region, although no casualties were reported. Authorities in Kyiv advised residents to participate in Orthodox Easter services online as a safety precaution. Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv city administration, cautioned against potential malicious acts by the aggressor even on festive occasions.
Zelenskyy called for unity and collective prayer among Ukrainians for both each other and the soldiers on the front lines. In a video message filmed in front of Kyiv’s Saint Sophia Cathedral, Zelenskyy emphasized that God stands by Ukraine’s side in the conflict.
The majority of Ukrainians adhere to Orthodox Christianity, with many belonging to the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Following the 2022 invasion, the rival Ukrainian Orthodox Church split from Moscow and is met with suspicion by some Ukrainians.
Meanwhile, in Moscow, worshippers, including President Vladimir Putin, attended a late-night Easter service led by Patriarch Kirill at Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral. Eastern Orthodox Christians mark Easter on a different date than Catholic and Protestant churches due to differing calculation methods.
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