Pope Francis today condemned the “horrendous cruelty” that hits Ukraine, “including its civilians”
«The latest news of the war in Ukraine […] they show new atrocities such as the Bucha massacre, a horrendous cruelty, also committed against civilians, women and children,” Francis said after his general audience.
“They are victims whose innocent blood cries out to heaven and implores us to put an end to this war, to silence the weapons, to stop sowing death and destruction,” he added.
Shortly after, the Pope unfurled a Ukrainian flag before the faithful gathered in the Paul VI room. “This flag comes from the war, from the martyred city, Bucha,” he said before kissing the visibly blackened flag.
This is the first statement by the Pope after the existence of dozens of corpses was reported in the streets of Bucha, near kyiv, after the withdrawal of the invading troops.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the Russian military of killing civilians in Bucha, but the Kremlin has denied any responsibility, saying the images are staged.
During his audience, Francis also lamented the “impotence of international organizations.” After the Second World War we tried to lay the foundations for a new history of peace, but unfortunately, the old history of rival powers has been perpetuated. And in the current war in Ukraine we are witnessing the impotence of international organizations,” he said..
