ROME (AP) — Russia has lodged a proper protest with the Vatican over Pope Francis’ latest condemnation of atrocities in Ukraine, during which the pontiff blamed a lot of the cruelty on Chechens and other minorities in an apparent effort to spare ethnic Russian troops from criticism.
The Kremlin’s ambassador to the Holy See, Alexander Avdeev, told the RIA Novosti agency that he met Monday with a Vatican official to precise his “indignation” about Francis’ comments, which were contained in an interview with the Jesuit magazine America that was published Monday.
In his comments, Francis defended his usual reluctance to call out President Vladimir Putin by name, saying it was clear Ukraine is the “martyred” victim within the war. But he also said that, while it was the Russian state that invaded Ukraine, “Generally, the cruelest are perhaps those that are of Russia but usually are not of the Russian tradition, equivalent to the Chechens, the Buryats and so forth.”
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The pope’s apparent distinction between the mostly Muslim Chechens and Buddhist Buryats on the one hand, and ethnic Russian fighters on the opposite, irked Moscow.
“I expressed indignation at such insinuations and noted that nothing can shake the cohesion and unity of the multinational Russian people,” Avdeev was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.
The pope’s apparent distinction between the mostly Muslim Chechens and Buddhist Buryats on the one hand, and ethnic Russian fighters on the opposite, irked Moscow.
Throughout the nine-month war, Francis has tried to spare direct condemnation of Moscow for fear of antagonizing the Russian Orthodox Church, which has strongly backed Putin’s invasion on religious grounds. Francis has previously blamed “mercenaries” for the atrocities being committed in Ukraine, drawing criticism from the Kyiv government.
In the brand new comments, Francis was clearly attempting to draw a line between those that follow “the Russian tradition” and allegedly more brutal Chechens and Buryats, when in actual fact Russian troops have been accused of war crimes no matter their ethnicity.
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While it wasn’t entirely clear what Francis meant by individuals who follow the “Russian tradition,” it might be a reference to the predominantly Russian Orthodox Christian roots of an estimated 68% of the population.
The RIA report also cited the regional leader of Buryatia, Alexey Tsydenov, as describing the pope’s remarks as “at the least strange.” Buryatia, a Siberian republic which forms a part of Russia, is home to indigenous Buryat Mongolians, who were reported to be disproportionally targeted by Moscow’s mobilization efforts alongside other minorities.
The most recent dustup over Francis’ comments come because the Holy See tries to play a mediating role within the conflict.
Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed leader of predominantly Muslim Chechnya, has been some of the outspoken supporters of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, though fighters from the southern Russian republic have participated on either side within the war. Pro-Kyiv volunteers, for instance, have named their grouping after a late leader who headed Chechnya’s drive for independence from Moscow.
The most recent dustup over Francis’ comments come because the Holy See tries to play a mediating role within the conflict. Francis and the Vatican secretariat of state have made repeated offers to attempt to facilitate peace talks, to no avail.
Asked Monday concerning the latest offer, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow appreciates the gesture but he noted that Ukraine has refused to carry talks.
The Vatican has a practice of not taking sides in conflicts, believing it may well be a more practical peacemaker with behind-the-scenes diplomacy. And Francis has tried to balance his rhetoric, expressing solidarity with the “martyred” people of Ukraine while also seemingly acknowledging Kremlin complaints about NATO “barking at its gates” by its eastward expansion.
The day after Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion Francis made a really public gesture by going to the Russian embassy to the Holy See to personally appeal to Avdeev for peace.
