Belgorod clergy claim prayer deficit behind ongoing bombardments

"Belgorod is still being bombarded because the local residents do not pray enough," says Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church Andrei Tkachev, quoted by the portal Moscow Times. According to the clergyman, services and processions are necessary. The city has been the target of attacks for many months.

After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Russian cities are not safe. Belgorod, a city of 400,000 people on the border, is the most vulnerable. This city has been repeatedly attacked by Russian volunteers supporting Ukraine, namely the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion. The Ukrainian military also targets strategic facilities in Belgorod.

The media estimate that from the beginning of the war until the end of April, at least 180 people died as a result of shelling in Belgorod Oblast. In Belgorod itself, up to 5,000 apartments were destroyed, and in the surrounding area, over 7,000.

Priest Andrei Tkachev of the Russian Orthodox Church has his theory on the attacks on Belgorod. He posted a special video on the Russian social network VKontakte.

Belgorod is still being bombarded and bombarded because the local residents do not pray enough, said the priest.

Now people ask: what about Belgorod? And Belgorod, my friends, must pray from morning to night to Saint Joseph of Belgorod to protect their city. And when Belgorod was bombed, I did not hear a prayerful emotion around Joseph, people do not know him, quotes the clergyman, the portal "Moscow Times."

According to the Orthodox clergyman, locals should constantly hold services and processions and collectively read the Psalter. This is necessary for "the Lord to have mercy on Tetkino, Shebekino, Belgorod, and other cities."

"Moscow Times" claims that the clergyman is known for his controversial statements. At a meeting with young people, he claimed that "a woman must be broken over the knee, cut off her horns", and also suggested "washing off the pornographic paint that contemporary civilization has applied to her."

According to him, if this is not done, the woman will give orders to the man and turn him into a "man with a beak". He also proposed conducting raids on Moscow nightclubs and sending "mature horses with dilated pupils" to the front.