UOC is the only force of an effective peace process, - ROC spokesman

The exchange of prisoners inspires hope for peace in Ukraine, said Vladimir Legoyda, chairman of the Synodal Department for Church-Society and Media Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church. Also the ROC spokesman stressed the role of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the person of its Primate, Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, in the organization of the release of prisoners, reports RIA Novosti.

"The canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine, as the Holy Patriarch has repeatedly testified, is the only force that can become the starting point for an effective peace process," Legoida concluded.

"It is symbolic that the release of prisoners of war is timed to the New Year and the Nativity of Christ and more than three hundred people will now be able to сelebrate holidays with their families," the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church added.

Earlier, Patriarch Kirill stressed "the need for an early peaceful solution to the military conflict" in eastern Ukraine. "I am deeply convinced that nobody needs this conflict, that it weakens all its participants. But most importantly – this conflict sacrifices many and many people. To stop this, there must be efforts from both sides," the Patriarch said.

On December 27, at the Kharkov airport, where the freed Ukrainian servicemen were met, Metropolitan Onufry said that the exchange of prisoners was the first step towards ending the war in the Donbass.