The General Secretary of the Russian Evangelical Alliance says political leaders need to show wisdom if peace between Russia and Ukraine is to be secured.
Almost three years on from the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, an end to the conflict remains elusive.
Figures compiled by The Wall Street Journal report that since the conflict began, about a million people have been killed or wounded on both sides.
This weekend, 17 people were injured in missile strikes on a central Ukrainian city - while Russian forces continue to push further into the Donbas region. Officials in Ukraine and South Korea have now accused North Korea of dispatching thousands of troops to bolster Russia’s war effort.
Vitaly Vlasenko, who is based in Moscow told Premier:
“Many Russian evangelicals and Christian people are praying that this conflict will stop. But because we are a minority group, we have no access to our government leaders to tell them that we really want to stop this conflict. And many Russians have a relative on both sides.”
He said a friend who lives in Russia has children living in Kyiv and worries after every Russian missile strike into Ukraine.
“Most Russian people support President Putin, but in Russian minds we’re not fighting with Ukraine, we're fighting with NATO. It’s basically a war between east and west.
“I don’t think any evangelical church in Russia, of any denomination, supports the war. They support peace. But of course, where Ukrainian troops come into Russian territory, churches like the Russian Orthodox Church, bless the soldiers to go and defend their country.”
Vlasenko, who is also the pastor of a local Baptist church in Moscow, called on Washington and London to do more to stop the conflict:
“Please pray that our political leadership and the political leadership of Russia can turn its mind to peace, that generals and other people who make strong decisions can be soft and care about those Ukrainians who are dying every day. Secondly, I would like to also ask you to pray for Ukrainian people and Ukrainian leadership that they can see the situation and think about not about winning or losing, but how to save their people.
"Sometimes you have to be wise to stop conflict – and it's their decision. I really pray for wisdom.”
Vitaly Vlasenko said that it is possible to speak freely in Russia, although everyone is expected to support the war and any dissenters are seen as unpatriotic. Even as a child, he was singled out because of his evangelical faith:
“When I was a child I was a part of the Baptist church. During the Soviet era people called me an American spy, because I believed in God and I was a Baptist, not orthodox. And in many minds I was regarded as a foreign person.
“Sometimes, it's really hard, because on the one hand, we are heavenly, we have our heavenly citizenship, and on another hand we have this earthly citizenship. And sometimes it's hard to find yourself the right position.”
The Russian Evangelical Alliance which was founded in 2003, is a group of people, churches, and denominations. Its role is to bring unity among evangelicals, bringing peace and reconciliation.