Ukrainian Veterans Reject Honors After Church Revokes Gay Soldier’s Medal

An Orthodox church in Kyiv, Ukraine, revoked a medal it awarded to Ukrainian combat medic Viktor Pylypenko after the church discovered he was gay. Pylypenko has bravely defended his country during the full-scale invasion of his country by Russia. But then, something uplifting occurred as the church’s reversal didn’t sit well with Pylypenko’s fellow soldiers, and many have now denounced the same honor given to them. https://twitter.com/cmclymer/status/1763343565160116718 From POLITICO:

The ruckus began at the weekend after Pylypenko published a Facebook post announcing that Patriarch Filaret, head of the Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate, had awarded him a Medal for Sacrifice and Love for Ukraine.

“I also deliberately assumed that the church has changed its attitude towards LGBT, since it rewards an openly gay activist for protection — in theory, I thought, this is a sharp reversal of the church to humanity, a noble roadmap to all other denominations to reconciliation, or … just a mistake,” Pylypenko told POLITICO,

But despite Pylypenko’s heroism, Patriarch Filaret wasn’t happy with the combat medic’s Facebook message and promptly canceled the award.

“We thank the soldier for his military merits, but we do not share his sinful preferences and LGBT agitation,” the church said in a statement on Facebook. “Due to open propaganda of sinful ideology and the denial of the existence of God, consider the church award to Victor Pilipenko from 08.02.2024 Order no. 27468 – revoked.” After news of the statement spread, dozens of other Ukrainian service members who were given the same honor, began denouncing the award and condemning the church for devaluing the Pylypenko’s sacrifices. One Ukrainian soldier, Yulia Mykytenko, said in a statement on Facebook:

“It was my first award. It was valuable to me. But I do not need an award from an institution that does not fully understand what it is like to give up one’s life and, in anticipation of death, defend people and freedom. God is love. But you are not.”

https://www.facebook.com/yuliya.mykytenko/posts/7188286151247987 Pylypenko says he is deeply touched by the show of support from his comrades. “I received a wave of solidarity with tears in my eyes — because I was already exhausted by years of constant attacks by various right-wing radicals and clerics — day after day when you hear this, no matter how strong you are, it cuts you down,” Pylypenko told POLITICO. “And suddenly I saw the number of bright people I respect, soldiers who supported and protected me — it was indescribably joyful.” https://www.instagram.com/p/C30bm8Ktds1/