Andrey kordochkin, welcome to hardtalk. Thank you. Its a great Honour And Privilege to be here. Well, its great to have you in the studio. Let me take you back to February 2022. Putin orders an all out invasion of ukraine. Within days, you, a priest in the russian Orthodox Church, choose to speak out against the invasion. When you did that, did you feel that this would be the end of your career in the russian Orthodox Church . I think that when the war has begun, very few of us could actually give a prediction of what is going to come through. So i think that many people would suggest that the war would be over in a very short period of time. So i dont think that any of us was acting out of any kind of prediction. And i think when i spoke out against the war, i dont think that i really felt any choice. I thought that it was a moral imperative on behalf of any christian or any sensible and reasonable person, to try to stop it, or at least not to be a part of what one may call a moraljus
Russias current borders. Putins Expansionist Nationalism requires military power, but its harnessed the cultural spiritual authority of the russian Orthodox Church, too. My guest, andrey kordochkin, was a russian Orthodox Priest who spoke out against the ukraine war and the putinisation of his church. But is he swimming against an unstoppable tide . Andrey kordochkin, welcome to hardtalk. Thank you. Its a great Honour And Privilege to be here. Well, its great to have you in the studio. Let me take you back to February 2022. Putin orders an all out invasion of ukraine. Within days, you, a priest in the russian Orthodox Church, choose to speak out against the invasion. When you did that, did you feel that this would be the end of your career in the russian Orthodox Church . I think that when the war has begun, very few of us could actually give a prediction of what is going to come through. So i think that many people would suggest that the war would be over in a very short period of tim
In the russian orthodox church, choose to speak out against the invasion. When you did that, did you feel that this would be the end of your career in the russian orthodox church? i think that when the war has begun, very few of us could actually give a prediction of what is going to come through. So i think that many people would suggest that the war would be over in a very short period of time. So i don t think that any of us was acting out of any kind of prediction. And i think when i spoke out against the war, i don t think that i really felt any choice. I thought that it was a moral imperative on behalf of any christian or any sensible and reasonable person, to try to stop it, or at least not to be a part of what one may call a moraljustification of evil. But you didn t actually just speak out yourself. Within days, you were a co signatory to a declaration that, i think, involved almost 300 russian orthodox priests, who were opposed to this invasion. So, it wasn t just yourself. Y
Team spoke here for about an hour and a half. The war in ukraine dominated the conversation. Afterwards, Sir Keir Starmer wouldnt be drawn on whether he persuaded the president that authorised western missiles of russia was a good idea. Western missiles of russia was a good idea a good idea. Instead, He Said a good idea. Instead, He Said. Theres a good idea. Instead, He Said. Theres only a good idea. Instead, He Said. Theres only one | a good idea. Instead, He Said. Theres only one reason were having these discussions and thats because putin has invaded ukraine and the quickest way to resolve this, obviously, lies through what putin actually does because its for him to end this but we are having a discussion that stood with ukraine, ukraine is the right to Self Defence and we have stood United Onjust with our allies in the us but across without nato allies, thats very to us. Across without nato allies, thats very to us. These are the longrange thats very to us. These are l the longrang
Hed persuaded the president That Authorising Ukraine To Fire Western Missiles at russia was a good idea. Instead, he said well, theres only one reason were having these discussions, and that is because putin has illegally invaded ukraine. And the quickest way to resolve this obviously lies through, you know, what putin actually does, because its for him to end this. But we are having the discussion. Weve stood with ukraine. Ukraine has a right to self defence. And weve stood united, not just with our allies here in the us, but across with our nato allies. Thats very, very important to us. These are the long range Anglo French missiles. Ukraine would love to fire into russia, the uk making the argument to allies, its a request that should be granted. They rely on american Satellite Systems to work. You might ask why the Prime Minister has been so keen to dash here, to visit a president who we know will be gone in just a few months time. His answer is there are urgent issues that need ad