AFU soldiers and OCU clergy on Athos: "Ukraine above all! Death to enemies!"

The Ukrainian delegation at the port of Ouranoupoli. Photo: Screenshot from the DRM News YouTube channel

At the end of November 2024, Ukrainian military personnel, together with representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), visited the Holy Mountain of Athos. During their visit, they shouted slogans such as "Ukraine above all!" and wished death to their enemies.

A report published on the DRM News YouTube channel on January 3 described the visit, highlighting that the group consisted of 22 Ukrainian soldiers, both physically wounded and those suffering from psychological trauma caused by the war.

The trip, spanning over 1,000 kilometers, was part of a psychological rehabilitation program for war participants. The soldiers visited monastic communities, participated in prayers, and took part in religious rites.

Accompanying the soldiers on the trip were "clergy" of the OCU. Footage shows the Ukrainian delegation shouting "Ukraine above all!" in one of the Athonite cells. At the conclusion of their visit, the group gathered at the port of Ouranoupoli, located on the Athos Peninsula, where they chanted slogans like "Glory to the nation! Death to enemies!" multiple times.

Previously, the UOJ reported that the OCU announced a fundraising campaign for the construction of the "first Ukrainian-language monastery" on Mount Athos.

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