Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Sheikh Qassem, addressing the scouts: It is an honor for me to be among you
Sheikh Qassem, addressing the scouts: You are growing up at the very heart of the struggle, confronting the enemy, and embodying the spirit of resistance in all its forms
Sheikh Qassem, addressing the scouts: You are the bright future, and the Master of the Martyrs of the Ummah watched over you to nurture the spirit of commitment, determination, and hope
Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, delivering a speech during the 'Sayyed’s Generations' festival
Occupied Palestine: Israeli occupation forces arrest 8 young men during a raid on the town of Silwad, east of Ramallah
Israeli media: No absolute victory promised by Netanyahu and some of his admirers, but a painful settlement
Israeli media: It must be said that the goals of the war launched by "Israel" in the weeks following October 7 are far from being achieved
Occupied Palestine: Clashes erupt between young men and occupation forces during a raid on the village of Beit Furik, east of Nablus.
Egypt: Three Qatari diplomats die in a car accident in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
Hamas official tells AFP disarmament 'out of the question'

Why did Kiev forces attack the monastery and cathedral at Ugledar?

  • Tim Anderson Tim Anderson
  • Source: Al Mayadeen English
  • 22 Nov 2024 23:15
  • 2 Shares
3 Min Read

If Ukraine's fight is against Russia, then why are Ukrainian forces targeting churches, especially historic ones like the cathedral of Saint Nicolay and Vasili?

Listen
  • x
  • Why did Ukraine target the monastery at Ugledar? (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Mahdi Rtail)
    Why did Ukraine target the monastery at Ugledar? (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Mahdi Rtail)

During the long battle for the strategic coal town of Ugledar/Vuhledar, in western Donetsk, Kiev forces were not only battling the Russian military, they launched repeated attacks on the ancient monastery and cathedral of Saint Nicolay and Vasili.

But why? My Russian friend, academic and journalist Andrey Afanasyev, took me on a visit to the monastery in mid-November, just a few weeks after Russian forces had taken Ugledar.

Andrey and many of his colleagues from Donetsk, all staunch Orthodox Christians, were taken by the fact that, in scenes of great destruction in and around the cathedral, most of the crosses and precious stained glass icons remained intact. This was beyond coincidence to them, rather a sign of divine protection.

Yet many of the buildings and most of the windows were smashed. Monks told us that seven members of their community had been killed and 13 more seriously wounded.

Even as they buried their friends, Ukraine fire was launched at them, forcing them to seek shelter in the graves they had just dug. A white tower in Ugledar town provided a direct line of sight to the Cathedral and Monastery grounds.

Related News

Ukraine’s ‘infrastructure’ war, as it warns anew of nuclear disaster

The new ‘donor-nomics’ in Ukraine, thanks to Western governments and their taxpayers

The Cathedral itself had suffered at least 25 direct hits, from grad rockets, artillery, mortars, and other shells and missiles. Two of the cathedral domes had been struck, in quick succession, by missiles.

The grounds were littered with metal shards from howitzer artillery and several unexploded grad rockets, mortars, and one device which I was told was an intact cartridge of cluster bomb fragments. So while Ukraine troops had been driven out of the nearby town, the dangers had not yet passed.

After liturgy (mass) was held in the basement of the cathedral two monks, who introduced themselves as Ukrainian, set out in very simple terms what is probably the root of the antagonism on the part of Kiev forces. The church considers the Russian, Ukraine, and Byelorussian people “as one people”.

While to some the split in the orthodox church, initiated in Kiev, might seem a result of the crisis, to Andre it is at the root of it. “They want to be part of the West” with Western values of individualism, consumerism and LGBT etc. We are for our church and our traditions, that is why this war is being fought.

Of course, it suited Washington and NATO to drive a wedge between Ukraine and Russia, using the Neo-Nazi traditions of Stepan Bandera and other extreme Ukraine nationalists, who in 1941 helped Nazi Germany invade Soviet Russia in Operation Barbarossa.

Adding a point to the antagonism, the former head of the monastery, Archimandrite Zosima Sokur, who died in 2002, predicted the Ukraine-Russia war as far back as the 1990s, saying that there would be terrible losses but Russia would prevail. He also asked that his grave be dug deep, so that the Banderists could not get to him.

Well they tried, but his grave, like the many crosses, remains intact.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Al Mayadeen’s editorial stance.
  • Ugledar
  • Ukraine
  • Kiev
  • Russia
  • war in Ukraine
  • Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Tim Anderson

Tim Anderson

Director of the Sydney-based Centre for Counter Hegemonic Studies.

Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

All
Barrack explicitly asserted that the US is supplying the Lebanese army to fight its own people, even laughing at the idea that this support is intended to confront "Israel". (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Why the US is so open about its intentions for Lebanese civil war

  • Opinion
  • 30 Sep 2025
All these decades and the billions of dollars spent by the Zionist Lobby on its propaganda is being rapidly undone, all thanks to the Israeli murder machine exposing itself. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Israeli seizure of social media is a declaration of defeat

  • Opinion
  • 6 Oct 2025
There is a great uncertainty over how the president will use the remaining three years of his term, to say nothing about his prospects for re-election. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Iranian opponents of diplomacy have definitively won the debate

  • Opinion
  • 4 Oct 2025
Graham’s Middle East vs. reality on the ground: Hezbollah, the undefeatable Resistance

Graham’s Middle East vs. reality on the ground: Hezbollah, the undefeatable Resistance

  • Blog
  • 8 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza: An Epic of Resilience and Valor

More from this writer

All
University students have much to gain by identifying, understanding, confronting, and sharing information on all matters involved with great crimes like the Gaza genocide. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Student solidarity with Palestine: Essential part of decent higher education

Those in Occupied Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria – directly affected by Israeli occupation and apartheid – can claim their right to armed struggle under a series of UN resolutions. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Resistance and regime change in occupied Palestine

What is the current state of Resistance forces, after the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, the collapse of independent Syria and the ongoing attacks on Lebanon and Iran? (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Regional Resistance after the Gaza Genocide

Understanding Yemen 2/2: Ansar Allah values

Understanding Yemen 2/2: Ansar Allah values

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS