Ukrainian army still lacks military chaplains – Head of State Ethno-Politics Service

13:54, 05.05.2023 1 min read

Viktor Yelensky, head of the State Service for Ethno-Politics and Freedom of Conscience, says that the Ukrainian army still lacks military chaplains.

"Not yet. Both we, the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff want these people to acquire the necessary skills. The chaplain is not a combatant, he does not take up arms, but he must be able to at least unload these weapons, must be able to launch an armored personnel carrier, must have medical, ethical and other skills," Yelensky said on the air of the national telethon on Friday, answering the question whether there are enough chaplains in the Ukrainian army.

The head of the State Ethno-Politics Service also noted that it is hard to say how much time is needed to train a chaplain, since the military component of training is only the last stage "for which they have been preparing all their lives, all their service."

As reported, on October 25, 2022, the State Ethno-Politics Service issued the first 83 mandates for the right to carry out military chaplaincy.