Portrait of the “сonscience of the nation”

Sviatoslav Shevchuk has issued a statement saying that his organization condemns draft dodgers. According to him, the UGCC “constantly explains that evading mobilization means failing to fulfill one’s civic duty.”

There is so much to admire in those words.

First, there is the fact that while Shevchuk condemns draft dodgers, he hides them himself. Not all of them, of course – only the ones useful to him. Two years ago, during a live broadcast, he accidentally admitted – unaware that his microphone was on – that he was shielding workers from mobilization. In other words, the UGCC hides its own draft dodgers while ordinary Ukrainians are sent off to “fulfill their civic duty.”

Second, Shevchuk has consistently opposed negotiations over Ukraine and supported continuing the hostilities in order to “stop the aggressor.” Trump’s peace plan is merely “so-called” in his eyes. Meanwhile, he urges Ukrainians to “once again find the strength within themselves” to resist the enemy and not to fear an “apocalyptic scenario” this winter.

At the same time, the UGCC head is perfectly well aware of Ukraine’s catastrophic demographic situation. He knows that the nation is effectively dying out and that, according to analysts’ projections, it could cease to exist within just 50 years.

None of this appears to trouble Shevchuk greatly.

His answer to the demographic catastrophe is to integrate migrants into Ukrainian society.

He believes Ukraine is now building a new kind of political nation – one that is not “only for ethnic Ukrainians,” but embraces everyone “who is ready to build together a free, united, and independent Ukrainian state.”

Put it all together, and the picture looks like this.

Sviatoslav Shevchuk waxes eloquent about the uniqueness of the Ukrainian nation and the value of human life. At the same time, he supports sweeping mobilization that is grinding that very nation down – because the nation consists precisely of the Ukrainians who are being killed and left maimed.

Yet the UGCC head apparently sees no insurmountable problem here, since they can all be replaced by migrants willing to “build together a free, united, and independent Ukrainian state.”

Quite the creative plan.

Still, there is some genuinely good news.

Most UGCC faithful are abroad.

No need to hide them from mobilization – or replace them with migrants.

Many within the UGCC call Sviatoslav Shevchuk the “conscience of the nation.”

They just never specify which nation.