Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak released a statement on Wednesday calling Pope Francis a "tool of Russian propaganda" who supports the establishment of a "Russian world". 

This comes after Pope Francis convened with Catholic youth from Russia on August 25 via teleconference, urging them to put in effort for "reconciliation", reminding them to never abandon their great cultural heritage.

Podolyak expressed to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: "It seems that the Pope has once again become a tool of Russian propaganda," adding that the pontiff's address was "destructive for modern humanism."  

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He continued to claim that the Pope "encouraged imperialism" and advocated for the "bloody idea of the Russian world."  

However, on Tuesday, the Holy See stated that the pontiff did not "exalt the logic of imperialism".

In a statement, the head of the Vatican press service Matteo Bruni said that the Pope meant to support young people to "preserve and promote everything positive in Russia's great cultural and spiritual heritage". 

A day before, the Vatican mission in Kiev declared that Pope Francis opposed any form of imperialism and colonialism and advised that it be kept in mind when going over his discussion with young Russian Catholics.

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