Russia 'bombs church' in Ukraine on Orthodox Easter Sunday as Putin and huge security team join worshippers at service in Moscow led by top bishop ally of the president
- Russia bombed a church in the suburbs of Ukrainian city Zaporizhzhia overnight
- Civilians have taken to Twitter to express horror at the violent Easter attack
- Putin was meanwhile protected by a huge security team at a service in Moscow
Ukraine today claimed Russia bombed a church in the Zaporizhzhia region of the war torn country on Orthodox Easter Sunday.
Photographs showed the building in ruins with just rubble and debris in its place and a scorched black hole in the ground.
It comes as Putin and a huge security team joined worshippers at a service in Moscow, led by Russia's top bishop and ally of the president.
The Russian dictator was attending Moscow's largest cathedral, Christ the Saviour, to mark Orthodox Easter.
Footage showed the country's top churchman Patriarch Kirill, 76, entering the midnight service surrounded by dozens of suited security operatives mostly in red ties.
Russia is believed to have conducted a cruel Easter attack overnight when it bombed a church in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine
Shocking photographs show the church diminished to nothing but rubble and debris
They were believed to be crack FSO Federal Protection Service guards who are routinely armed and whose task is to keep Putin and other top officials safe.
Meanwhile, supporters of Ukraine took to Twitter to share their horror at the Church bombing in the village of Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia region.
Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko posted: 'On Easter night, the Russians destroyed a church near Zaporizhzhia. And they call Ukrainians Nazis and Satanists.'
Another commented: 'r*ssia celebrates orthodox easter by overnight bombing of a church in the suburbs of my homecity Zaporizhzhia.'
Ukrainian patriot Anton Gerashchenko took to the social media platform to confirm the church was empty and no one was harmed.
He also claimed that Russia attacked Snihurivka, in Mykolaiv region, killing two teenagers.
Meanwhile, stern-faced agents in Moscow appeared to be in place to protect Putin from worshippers who underwent intense security checks before being allowed into the cathedral.
A man carried an Orthodox icon at a site of a church destroyed by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the village of Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia region
Putin and a huge security team joined worshippers at a service in Moscow, led by Russia's top bishop and ally of the president
The Russian dictator was attending Moscow's largest cathedral, Christ the Saviour, to mark Orthodox Easter
Traffic was restricted in central Moscow hours before the service began.
Putin admitted that the second Orthodox Easter of his war with Ukraine came at a time of 'serious challenges'.
'The wonderful, beloved Easter holiday gives believers hope, inspires good thoughts and deeds, and serves to affirm high moral ideals and values in society,' said Putin, whose war is feared to have killed more than 200,000 people.
'The Church has always been together with the people, sharing joys and hardships with them.
'And today, in the face of serious challenges, it is actively involved in the affairs of mercy and charity, helping people find a strong spiritual support.'
Putin was accompanied at the ceremony by Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin, a close ally.
Kirill gave a sermon which gave his church's blessing to aggressor Putin's invasion of Ukraine - telling the dictator that the sovereign land he has invaded is traditional Russian territory.
The country's top churchman Patriarch Kirill (pictured), 76, entered the midnight service surrounded by dozens of suited security operatives mostly in red ties
Putin admitted that the second Orthodox Easter of his war with Ukraine came at a time of 'serious challenges'
Ukrainian patriot Anton Gerashchenko took to the social media platform to confirm the destroyed church in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine was empty and no one was harmed
'Today, on our Russian historical land, grave events are taking place,' he said.
'You could say it's an internal feud.
'And today I am addressing both Russians and Ukrainians. I especially appeal to those who, against their will, were involved in this conflict.
'We must do everything by the power of our prayers and our good deeds to stop this conflict as quickly as possible, so that peace and a common good life, fraternal relations once again unite our peoples firmly and firmly, who were the one people of united Rus.
'Today, this will be my special prayer, and I would ask you all to join this prayer so that the Lord blesses the Russian land.
'When I say 'Russian', I mean Rus', from which the Great Russians, Little Russians, and other nationalities came out, but the same Rus' with which we are all connected historically, spiritually and in terms of civilisation.
'May the Lord help us, having passed the trials that are now taking place, to regain peace, mutual respect, harmony, the ability to live and work together.
Russian Orthodox believers attending the Easter Orthodox service at the Christ The Savior Cathedral
Patriarch Kirill, surrounded by bodyguards at the Easter-2023 service
'May the Lord preserve the Russian land, may the Lord preserve all the peoples who historically live on this vast part of the land.
'May the Lord keep our countries, may peace and love be strengthened in relations between us.
'Happy Easter! Christ is Risen!'
Putin was seen crossing himself several times during the ceremony, known as the Divine Liturgy.
Concern over Putin's security is acute in Russia amid the war against Ukraine.
Two weeks ago pro-Putin blogger and propagandist Vladen Tatarsky was assassinated in St Petersburg.
Putin's official palaces and residences are now protected with sophisticated air defence systems.
Some reports say he uses body doubles to minimise the risk of assassination at events with large crowds.
He has also reduced public appearances citing the danger of covid infection.
