About 90 religious leaders from Europe have, for the first time, officially condemned the ideology of the “Russkiy Mir” (Russian World) and declared it heretical. The statement was released following the Conference of European Churches (CEC) that was held on Dec. 1-3 in Helsinki, reports Texty.
“This is the first time an international church gathering has formally condemned this doctrine, which fuels Russia’s war against Ukraine,” the journalists said.
Signed by conference goers, the declaration said that while the resolution was not formally adopted, theologian Kyrylo Hovorun said that the very organization of the event represents de facto approval.
The CEC, which includes 114 Orthodox, Protestant, and Anglican churches, distanced itself from the cautious language that was previously used by other international ecumenical bodies.
“Let us be clear: the claim that a soldier’s death in service automatically absolves them of sin, framing it as a sacrificial act, is heretical — as is portraying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a ‘holy war’ and depicting Russia as a ‘state-katechon,’ a force restraining global evil,” the statement said.
The document explicitly condemns the core tenets of the “Russian world” ideology.
It calls the doctrine unacceptable because it denies the existence of the Ukrainian nation, strips Ukraine of its right to self-determination, and frames Russia’s war against the West as a “metaphysical confrontation.”
It also emphasizes that Moscow abuses church connections to justify aggression and promote its version of “traditional values.”
This declaration is considered a breakthrough, especially given that the World Council of Churches (WCC), which still includes the Russian Orthodox Church, has avoided such theological condemnation, limiting itself to diplomatic phrasing.
Unlike general calls for prayer and dialogue, the CEC statement establishes specific commitments for participating churches. These include combating the misuse of religion to justify war, supporting Ukrainian resistance to the “Russian world” ideology, documenting testimonies of those affected by Russian aggression, and facilitating the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported to Russia.
“Mentioning the deported children is particularly significant. The WCC has been criticized for expressing concern over Ukraine’s law restricting pro-Russian religious organizations, yet it barely addressed Russia’s systematic abduction of Ukrainian children,” the report notes.
The conference was organized by the CEC, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, and the Orthodox Church of Finland.
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