Presentation of Andrii Ivanets’ research on the support of Russia’s “traditional” religions for the genocidal war against Ukraine

On May 17, Kyiv will host a presentation of a study by Holodomor Museum scholar Andrii Ivanets on the support of Russia’s “traditional” religions for the genocidal war against Ukraine

On May 17, the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre will host a presentation on the publication of the study by Andrii Ivanets, a leading researcher of the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide, “Support by “traditional” religious organisations of the Russian Federation for Russia’s aggressive and genocidal war against Ukraine (the period from February 24, 2022, to February 2023).

Ihor Kozlovsky, the author and reviewers of the publication – president of the Center for Religious Studies and International Spiritual Relations, senior researcher of the Department of Religious Studies, Institute of Philosophy named after H.S. Skovoroda, Dmytro Bily, head of the Department of the History of the Holodomor and Artificial Mass Famines of the Holodomor Museum will attend the event; Ihor Stambol, candidate of historical sciences, will moderate the presentation.

“Russia seeks to use all opportunities to conquer Ukraine and destroy the Ukrainian state. Since Ukrainians and Russians have a fairly high level of religiosity among the peoples of Europe, the aggressor state seeks to use religion as one of the tools of expansion, the author of the work, Andrii Ivanets, emphasized during the presentation. – At the same time, there is a difference in the degree of involvement of “traditional” religious organizations in supporting the war against Ukraine, and we even have a case of its condemnation by the leader of the Buddhists of Kalmykia. It is important to find mechanisms that would stop or minimize Russia’s instrumental use of religion for criminal purposes. Therefore, in the study, civilized states and international organizations, religious associations and authorities are offered some measures to respond to the complicity of religious organizations of Russia in the aggressive war against Ukraine and the genocide of the Ukrainian nation,” A. Ivanets thinks.

The participants of the event will present research and also discuss the role of the religious factor in the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The presentation will take place on May 17, Wednesday, at 4:30 p.m. at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre at 2 Khreshchatyk Street, Kyiv.