Georgian top cleric calls Putin ‘an evil ruler,’ slams Russian Patriarch

Georgian archbishop Dimitri (Shiolashvili) has called Russian President Vladimir Putin an ‘evil ruler who has nothing to do with Christianity’ for his move to invade Ukraine and criticized the Russian patriarch for justifying Putin’s actions.   “An evil ruler has appeared who threatens humanity with nuclear weapons and considers himself a Christian,” said Dimitri, Metropolitan of Batumi and Lazeti. 

“We are all watching what is happening in our friendly nation. We are shocked by the evil that is happening in Ukraine and I sympathize with these very resilient, strong-willed people. God has given them courage and strength,” he said.

The cleric stated  that the Russian president is a threat for everyone.

“When he (Putin) gladly declares to the whole world and says that you will be unable even to blink if I use nuclear weapons, it has nothing to do with Christianity, because it threatens our country, it threatens your country, it threatens our children, your children and humanity,” he stated.

The archbishop said that he has a daily relationship in Ukraine with friends, relatives ‘and we say goodbye to each other with tears in my eyes.’ 

“Some dioceses have been destroyed and the dioceses under the Russian Patriarchate are very upset because their patriarch justified the crime and called for the protection of Russia’s interests,” said the top cleric. 

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.