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A Toronto priest is facing criticism for accepting a medal from Vladimir Putin last week as the Russian president is waging a war on Ukraine that has killed thousands of civilians.<\/p>\n
At a ceremony at the Kremlin on Nov. 4, Putin presented the Order of Friendship to Father Vladimir Malchenko, head priest at Toronto\u2019s Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church.<\/p>\n
A video<\/a> of the event obtained by Global News shows Malchenko striding onto a stage to greet Putin, who shakes the priest\u2019s hand and pins the Russian state honour onto his frock.<\/p>\n Putin commended Malchenko for helping Canadian \u201cparishioners maintain their connection with their historical homeland.\u201d Malchenko\u2019s acceptance speech lauded the \u201cFatherland.\u201d<\/p>\n The awards ceremony took place on Russia\u2019s National Unity Day. In his remarks<\/a> praising Malchenko, Putin also celebrated Russian troops he said were \u201cbravely\u201d fighting in Ukraine.<\/p>\n Reached by phone this week, Malchenko said he had no regrets about being honoured by Putin, who is wanted<\/a> by the International Criminal Court for war crimes for the abduction of Ukrainian children.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t look at it as a political act. It\u2019s an act of recognition of our pastoral duties here in Canada,\u201d Malchenko told Global News after returning to Toronto from Moscow.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd our community is very grateful that there\u2019s been a certain amount of recognition of our work here to comfort people\u2019s lives in Canada,\u201d said Malchenko.<\/p>\n But the Ukrainian Canadian Congress said it was \u201cdisgraceful\u201d that the Canadian priest had accepted a medal from the Russian leader as he continues to attack his neighbours.<\/p>\n Two days before Malchenko exchanged pleasantries with Putin, Russia bombed a school<\/a> in Ukraine\u2019s Zaporizhzhia region that was used as a humanitarian hub, killing more than 50 people.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a textbook case of moral hypocrisy unbecoming of an individual who purports to promote Christian teaching,\u201d said Danylo Korbabicz, CEO of the Canadian Ukrainian group.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Order of Friendship is awarded for \u201coutstanding contributions to strengthening friendship\u201d and \u201cfostering peace and friendly relations among countries.\u201d<\/p>\n Past recipients include pro-Russia actor Steven Seagal<\/a> and former prime minister Jean Chretien, but that was before Putin sent his troops into Ukraine in 2014.<\/p>\n Following Russia\u2019s 2022 assault on Kyiv, Canada placed Putin on its Russia sanctions list, citing his \u201cgrave breach of international peace and security.\u201d<\/p>\n Also sanction was Kirill, the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox church and a cheerleader of Putin\u2019s attack on Ukraine, which he has deemed a \u201choly war.\u201d<\/p>\n In his comments to Global News, Malchenko said his Toronto church was \u201cabove politics,\u201d did not support any wars and was \u201cgreatly\u201d concerned about the human suffering caused by armed conflicts.<\/p>\n But he said he didn\u2019t raise the war in Ukraine with Putin at the medal ceremony. \u201cNo, it really wasn\u2019t time for a conversation,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n He characterized his award as recognition for \u201cfulfilling our Christian duties in Canada,\u201d and said the church was apolitical. \u201cWe never talk about the war,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n However, the church\u2019s website<\/a> links to Russian online platforms that parrot the claim that Ukraine is an \u201cimaginary country\u201d and Ukrainians are \u201cimaginary\u201d people.<\/p>\n The links, which also claim there is \u201cno such thing\u201d as Ukraine, are in line with Russian propaganda that aims to justify Putin\u2019s military campaign.<\/p>\n Malchenko\u2019s church is a registered charity<\/a> that receives government tax breaks. In 2012, the Conservative government awarded him the Queen\u2019s Diamond Jubilee Medal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\t\t\t\t\tRescuers search site of Russian attack on school used as humanitarian hub in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on Nov. 2, 2026. Photo by Dmytro Smolienko\/Ukrinform\/ABACAPRESS.COM.\t\t\t\t<\/span>
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