Pope calls on Russia to stop strikes

Pope calls on Russia to stop strikes on Ukraine's infrastructure

The Pope has made a public appeal to Russia to stop strikes on Ukraine's energy and civilian infrastructure. The pontiff posted the statement on his social media account X.

The head of the Catholic Church stressed that the new shelling causes significant damage to civilians, especially as temperatures drop and the need for electricity and heat supply increases.

Details of the application

In his address, the pontiff focused on the humanitarian dimension of the war and the consequences of the attacks for ordinary citizens.

Key messages of the statement:

• Strikes on infrastructure directly worsen the living conditions of the civilian population;

• In winter, there is a critical dependence on stable electricity and heat supply;

• The destruction of energy facilities increases the risk of a humanitarian crisis;

• actions that harm civilians must be stopped immediately.

The Pope has traditionally called for the preservation of human life and the observance of international humanitarian law.

Context.

Russia has been systematically launching missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's energy facilities, leading to power, heat and water outages in some regions.

International partners have repeatedly condemned the attacks on civilian infrastructure as a violation of international law and called for increased sanctions pressure on Moscow.

The Vatican's statement came amid an increase in the load on Ukraine's energy system during the cold season.