Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: Instruction will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations. (Isaiah 51:4)

As Christian religious leaders, we appeal to every citizen and authority in our country to strictly adhere to the legal procedures that are the basis of every legal and democratic state, the key to unity, peace, and mutual respect. Over the thousand-year history of Christianity in Ukraine, a conscientious people has been formed, faithful to God's commandments in their daily lives. The observance of God's Law out of faith and conviction, in good faith and honesty (not out of fear), is a distinctive feature of our people. We must extend this trait to the entire sphere of state law - the law of the state - without which no organized human community can exist, especially not such a complex mechanism as the state. 

Having overcome the hardships of the war, we are now on our way to the "nations of the free world" - communities where respect for human rights prevails, where there is a high level of well-being and stable growth of the population, a high level of personal and public security, and all this marks a high level of legal culture demonstrated in these countries by both public authorities and the general public. Without fostering the same level of legal culture in our people, and especially in our government officials, we cannot hope to be fully involved in a circle of these blessed countries.

This is especially true of those who have entered the civil service, both military and civilian, given that in a democratic state, to ensure security, social harmony, and law and order in society, only the state has the right to use coercive force. That is why the requirements for a high level of legal culture of civil servants are so high, and the procedure for implementation of these functions is clearly regulated - state and local self-government bodies and their officials are obliged to act only on the basis, within the limits of authority and in the manner provided for by the Constitution and laws of Ukraine (Article 19 of the Constitution of Ukraine, part 2). This imperative norm requires a high level of legal awareness of everyone who has entered the civil service and cannot be offset under any circumstances. 

Unfortunately, there has been a recent increase in cases of violations of Ukrainian law that are "justified" by the psychological and physical condition of civil servants who have been injured or contused on the battlefield. Such unfortunate incidents, and especially attempts to justify them, undermine the very foundation of statehood, cause a split in society between different strata, and damage the harmony and mutual understanding that are crucial to defeating a fierce enemy. We cannot allow a person in uniform to be associated with arbitrariness and lawlessness. Because a person wearing a defender's uniform is a manifestation of his noble sacrifice and personal civic maturity.

In the same regard, the rhetoric of civil servants that the Constitution and law are not valid during wartime is particularly dangerous and harmful. This is a manifestation of legal nihilism and an encroachment on the very democratic system of our country, our identity, freedom, and hope for a better future - all the things for which our heroic defenders are holding back the fierce enemy with weapons in hand, at the cost of shed blood and their own lives. 

Therefore, our adherence to all legal norms of our state and international law, which are derived from the Law of God, is the best response to the aggression of totalitarianism and lawlessness, which has already been openly manifested in the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against our people. Also, such a life position, characterized by a high level of legal culture, serves as support to our glorious defenders on the battlefield - our internal front, where we also must win.

May God bless us in our struggle for justice because justice is synonymous with law.

Amen.