As military collapse looms, Murmansk church leader says 'this is the moment of truth for mankind'

“It is all being decided now. And from our prayers depends the fate of the whole world. The Lord decides the way it suits him, from what is happening on earth. Is there any point to continue history? Or is it time to bring fire and sulphur to earth and let everything burn?”

Metropolitan Mitrofan, the top prelate in the Kola Peninsula, spoke about burning hate and inferno. But the sermon delivered by the Orthodox Church leader must rather have stirred great chill among the locals that had attended mass in Alakurtti, the small military town located near the border to Finland.

Mitrofan, who is known for his extreme, hard-line and fundamentalist views, made clear to the churchgoers in Alakurtti that the war against Ukraine is leading to catastrophe. Not only for Russian aggressors and the country’s dictator in Moscow. But for the whole world.

“Today, the moment of truth is coming; will the history of mankind be continued? Or will it end? This is the question that we now are deciding, both on the battleground and in our hearts,” the prelate said.

The sermon was held as Russian forces experience new defeats on the battlegrounds in Ukraine, and as the country’s Armed Forces announced a retreat from Kherson.

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According to Mitrofan, Russia is fighting “a United force of evil.”

“We pray for our warriors that now keep the front against the United force of evil, all of Europe has kneeled to the Prince of Darkness and what is most terrible of all: also the Ukrainians, our bothers-Slavs, have kneeled to the Price of Darkness.”

“This is the most horrible and we cannot except this. Exactly therefor we have risen up, lined up and now keep up defense,” Mitrofan said about the Russian war.

Ukraine is Russian territory and Ukrainians part of the Russian nation, he underlined. And behind all the troubles stand the USA and its money.  

“The evil forces that have bowed to the dark prince, the dollar, given up their souls for money. Like unfortunately our brotherly nation Ukraine,” he said in the sermon.

The Ukrainians have “betrayed their genetic code,” he underlined.

“They have betrayed their past history and our kind. But we will not allow this, we will help them come to themselves, the ones that have gotten lost.”

During his visit to Alakurtti, Mitrofan met with soldiers of the 80th Motorized Rifle Brigade, also called the Arctic Brigade. Like the other forces in the Kola Peninsula, the brigade in Alakurtti has sent many men and much equipment to the war in Ukraine.

Mitrofan, who himself has his background from the Armed Forces, has previously made a big number of controversial statements. In March this year he described the war in Ukraine as a battle with “Antichrist.”