SW News: Archbishop Viktor Bykov of Artsyz of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has accused Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of endangering the unity of the Church. He made this accusation in a letter that was published on the Facebook page of the St. Elias Monastery. This comes in the wake of a Russian missile attack on the historic Transfiguration Cathedral in Ukraine's Odesa on Sunday.

In the letter, he said, "It is under your personal blessing that the Russian army produces an outright war on the sovereign territory of the Ukrainian state." Archbishop Bykov also said, "The Russian rocket blessed by you flew straight to the altar, the holy of holiest in the church."

He added that the Patriarch's personal ambitions have caused him to lose the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and other churches on the territory of the "holy Rus." Therefore, he also criticizes Kirill's statement that some of the dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are on their way to a schism. The prelate also reminded the Russian Church head that "his children" are spread across both Russia and Ukraine and that the Patriarch is imparting his blessing to those who massacre them.

The vicar of the parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is also appealing to the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church to stop the bloodshed, murder, and destruction of peaceful cities and villages, and is calling for an end to the war. He also pointed out that the Russian Orthodox Church is doing nothing to help Ukraine Orthodox Church clergy who fled Ukraine. The archbishop also condemned the repression and the fear that the authorities create in the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the United Nations is accusing the Russian government of disregarding the Russian government for violating international agreements suggesting that recent missile strikes in historically significant areas may be considered a war crime.

Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay said this outrageous destruction of a historic church marks an escalation of violence against Ukraine's cultural heritage. The United Nations called the attacks may amount to a war crime due to the malicious destruction of cultural heritage sites.

According to Resolution 2347 of the UN Security Council, the Russian attacks on the historical sites may have been a war crime. Resolution 2017 denounces the unlawful destruction of cultural heritage, including the destruction of religious sites and artifacts, and the looting and smuggling of cultural property from archaeological sites, museums, libraries, archives, and other sites.

The city of Odessa is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At least 20 historic buildings, including Transfiguration Cathedral, were damaged during the strike by the Russian missiles. Ukrainian officials said the strikes destroyed key food storage facilities and badly damaged the city's Black Sea port.