The official website of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate published an appeal of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kyiv and All Ukraine to the faithful and citizens of Ukraine.

In his address, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church addressed all citizens of Ukraine.

"Trouble has happened. To the greatest regret, Russia has started military actions against Ukraine and at this fateful time I urge you not to panic, be courageous and show love for your homeland and for each other. I urge you, first of all, to intensified penitential prayer for Ukraine, for our army and our people, I ask you to forget mutual quarrels and misunderstandings and to unite in love for God and our Motherland," the Metropolitan noted.

He also stressed that "in this tragic time, we express special love and support for our soldiers who are standing guard and protecting and defending our land and our people. May God bless and keep them!"

Metropolitan UOC MP urged Putin to stop the war and supported the Ukrainian army: "Defending the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine, we also appeal to the President of Russia and ask for an immediate end to the fratricidal war. The Ukrainian and Russian peoples came out of the Dnieper baptismal font and the war between these peoples is a repetition of the sin of Cain, who killed his own brother out of envy. Such war has no justification neither with God, nor with people.

I call everyone to common sense, which teaches us to solve our earthly problems in mutual dialogue and mutual understanding, and sincerely hope that God will forgive us our sins and the peace of God will prevail in our land and in the whole world!"