Interview with Pastor Oleksandr Nagornyi dedicated to the tragic events when a Russian air bomb hit the building of the Evangelical Church “House of the Gospel” in Zaporizhzhia.
Vitaliy Stebenev: Today we are talking about the trials that fell to the lot of the Zaporizhzhia community “House of the Gospel”, whose prayer house was damaged by the Russian strike.
Oleksandr, tell us how you found out about the shelling?
Oleksandr Nagornyi: That day I was in the city center. A cousin called me and asked, “Need help at church? Something flew into the church.” I immediately went to the place, calling other pastors and deacons at the same time. In the center of Zaporizhzhia, no arrival was heard, although these are usually very loud sounds. When we arrived, it became clear that a guided aerial bomb (KAB or FAB) had hit the porch of the prayer house.
Vitaliy Stebenev: Were there people in the building at that moment?
Oleksandr Nagornyi: Yes, there were four people in the room. Three of them were miraculously not injured, but our brother Ruslan Utyush was leaving the building at that very moment. He was at the very epicenter of the explosion and died. At first, there was hope that he was alive, but when we saw his clothes next to the impact site, everything became clear.
Vitaliy Stebenev: In your opinion, was the church the target of this strike?
Oleksandr Nagornyi: That day, bombs were flying towards the plant, and we just became victims of this war. However, this does not detract from the scale of the crime: 27 religious buildings of various denominations have already been destroyed in the government-controlled territory of Zaporizhzhia region.
Vitaliy Stebenev: How does Ruslan’s family survive this loss?
Oleksandr Nagornyi: Ruslan is survived by his wife Tanya and two children. Yesterday we were at the funeral; We cry with them, but despite the pain, they hold on. The woman and son found the strength to testify to others about Ruslan’s life. They have the Christian hope of meeting in heaven, and the community has surrounded them with the utmost care.
Vitaliy Stebenev: What has become the most difficult thing for your community these days?
Oleksandr Nagornyi: Of course, the death of a person was the most difficult. The second blow is the destruction of the building, our “spiritual home”. Our church is a former movie theater that we have been renovating for years. The most painful thing is that literally four days before arrival, we finished the renovation of the hall and updated the kitchen. However, we understand that walls serve the community, and people are a core value. The very next day, about 70 volunteers — our believers and friends from other churches — came to clean up the rubble. Thanks to joint work with utilities, on Sunday we held a service in the main hall of the church.
Vitaliy Stebenev: What is the significance of the church for the city today?
Oleksandr Nagornyi: Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, we have become a humanitarian hub. We received refugees from Mariupol and Melitopol, and we regularly distribute aid to IDPs. We also conduct classes for children, young people and the elderly. Thank God that there was no one on our playground at the time of arrival. People are open to the church: many came to us in 2022, some have already been baptized. People say they have found sincerity, love and care here that they have not seen before.
Vitaliy Stebenev: How does constant terror affect the spirit of people in Zaporizhzhia?
Oleksandr Nagornyi: Chronic fatigue is accumulating, many are leaving due to constant alarms and drones. But those who remained want to develop the city. At the beginning of the year, we initiated a prayer marathon, which was joined by the city’s Baptist churches: we prayed and fasted around the clock for the safety of Zaporizhzhia. We saw the hand of God in this, because the front moved a little. Although the arrival occurred shortly after the marathon, prayer gives us the strength to live and serve.
Vitaliy Stebenev: How do you answer the question “why does God allow such tragedies”?
Oleksandr Nagornyi: Evil has no logical reason, it is its nature — it is not good to create. Even if God had explained “why,” it would not have comforted us in our grief. We are comforted by the hope that God is just and He is with us in this reality.
Vitaliy Stebenev: How do you personally withstand this pressure?
Oleksandr Nagornyi: I am saved by a lot of busyness, joint worship and meaningful conversations with friends, where you can pour out your pain. It is also important to take care of your physical condition – sometimes just sleep or eat a delicious meal in order to have the strength to run further. We already have a certain “Zaporizhzhia deformation”: alarms can last for 17 hours, so we often do not respond to them, because otherwise it is impossible to live here. As long as the city is habitable, I stay here with my parents and church, although the front is only 25 km from the outskirts.
Vitaliy Stebenev: What is your wish to the Christians of the world?
Oleksandr Nagornyi: Pray for families who have lost loved ones, because life is the greatest value. Support frontline cities. Pray for wisdom for our community to restore and continue to serve so that we remain relevant to the people.
Watch the full interview with Pastor Oleksandr Nagornyi: