Major Archbishop Shevchuk: Freedom must never be taken for granted

Key Points:

• July 2026 was the bloodiest month in over four years of war in Ukraine, with 437 civilians killed and 2,610 wounded, including the highest number of children casualties since April 2022, according to UN data cited by Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk.
• The war has evolved into a high-tech conflict, with advanced drones and missiles equipped with cameras allowing operators to deliberately target civilians, making "accidental" civilian casualties morally unacceptable and constituting violations of international humanitarian law.
• Celebrating 35 years of Ukrainian independence amid ongoing war highlights the value of freedom as a spiritual and moral category, emphasizing the need to defend freedom responsibly and build a future grounded in truth, common good, and Christian values.
• Archbishop Shevchuk warns against the global crisis of democracy linked to a lack of personal responsibility, urging people not to abdicate their role in shaping their countries and to resist authoritarian tendencies by embracing freedom courageously.
• On Ukraine’s Independence Day, religious leaders will unite in prayer for peace at Kyiv’s Saint Sophia Cathedral, calling on the global community to join in solidarity through prayer and humanitarian aid as expressions of love and mercy.