In a world where even human intelligence is being mimicked by machines, old certainties seem to be crumbling. In this century of accelerated development, notions of “good” and “evil” sound old-fashioned and simplistic. But good and evil do exist and we are still faced with a stark choice between the two.
Almost two years ago, on 24 February 2022, we Ukrainians found ourselves facing a manifestation of evil in its most visceral form. Since Russian troops crossed our borders on that day, they have inflicted the most horrendous suffering.
Russian rockets bombard our cities daily, deliberately targeting civilian homes, and destroying the essential infrastructure that keeps people alive. Dozens of schools and hospitals have been attacked. Every day from the areas under Russian control, new horrors emerge – stories of civilians being murdered, tortured, abducted and raped. What is this if not a manifestation of pure evil?
Nowhere is safe in Ukraine. Nothing is sacred. Russian forces are destroying Ukraine’s museums, galleries and historic sites. Churches have been bombed and used as shelters by Russian troops. There have been cases of occupiers setting up firing positions in religious buildings in the occupied territories. This shows their absolute immorality, their indifference to all religion.
It is not just Ukrainian lives that Putin seeks to end – he is pursuing the total obliteration of our history and culture – the very essence of our nation.
In Russia, President Vladimir Putin has turned religion itself into a weapon, co-opting the Russian Orthodox Church to support his genocidal war and to justify his actions to religious communities around the world. As a priest myself, I can say there is no justification for this utter abandonment of morality. The leaders of the Russian church have turned their back on Christ.
The Russian government spreads the lie that they were provoked into starting this war by “the West”, that Ukraine’s eagerness to join Nato somehow threatened Russia. This is manifestly untrue. We never sought conflict with Russia.
Before 2014, when Putin’s troops invaded Crimea, Ukraine was determinedly nonaligned with no interest at all in joining Nato or any other military alliance. Of course, this changed when Russia invaded and illegally annexed our territory. Since then Ukraine has indeed sought protection from Nato.
In 2017, the Ukrainian parliament officially made joining Nato a strategic foreign and security policy objective. But a full five years passed before Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Our desire for Nato protection was not the reason.
The real reason for Russia’s illegal attack on a sovereign country is Putin’s twisted dream to resurrect the old Russian Empire. He has repeatedly stated that Ukraine is not a separate country from Russia and the Ukrainian people do not exist. He has called for the “de-Ukrainisation” of Ukraine.
Read more in Daily Maverick: ‘Putin wants to rebuild the Russian Empire’ — Ukrainian scholar Olexiy Haran dissects the roots of the war in Europe
This is nothing less than genocide. For it is not just Ukrainian lives that Putin seeks to end – he is pursuing the total obliteration of our history and culture – the very essence of our nation.
Russia’s evil is not confined to Ukraine alone – Putin’s tentacles stretch out across the world. Across the African continent, in Mali, in the Central African Republic, in Libya, we see Russian mercenaries killing, raping and terrorising innocent people to prop up governments that are now beholden to Putin’s regime.
Putin is threatened by Ukraine’s commitment to democracy and freedom. These values are what Ukraine is fighting to defend – the same values that South Africa holds dear. Since 1994, South Africans have fought to establish and then defend a new democratic state, forged out of the ashes of the hideous apartheid regime. You understand more than most what it means to put your lives on the line for freedom and the freedom of your children.
Plea for support
Many voices around the world have called for peace – your own President Cyril Ramaphosa prominent among them. And believe me when I say that no one wants peace more than Ukrainians. It is we who are shedding blood and dying in this war. But we can negotiate for peace only once Russia withdraws its troops from our land. While they occupy our land, bomb our cities and commit horrendous crimes against our people, we have no choice but to resist. To stop fighting would spell the end of Ukraine.
Read more in Daily Maverick: War in Ukraine
I am a man of faith – something I share with millions of South Africans. But beyond the confines of my personal faith, I share a bond of humanity with all people. And it is in this spirit of shared humanity that I travel to South Africa from 13 to 17 November 2023 to spread the word about our struggle and to ask for support, for the moment to choose between good and evil is here. I implore South Africa to stand with Ukraine against evil.
We do not ask you to send soldiers or weapons. But South Africa is a country of great influence – a diplomatic leader whose voice carries weight even with Putin. I implore your leaders to use that influence, to speak out, both publicly and in private conversations with Russia, demanding that they end this war now.
With your support we will overcome this evil and the world will know peace again. DM