Ukraine, Grand Master Freemasonry Kiev: “We use our influence to stop war”

He affirms that “Freemasonry, persecuted by imperial and Soviet Russia, does not accept tyranny, nor aggression, nor war”; he explains that between “the two obediences”, the Grand Lodge of Ukraine and the Grand Lodge of Russia, “there is currently no mutual recognition”, also because “they were the first to disown us”; he stresses that “the offenses” against them come “from the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Russia, Andrey Bogdanov”, who “in 2014 on his Facebook profile urged them to divide or invade Ukraine”. However, he explains, “I do not believe that the Russian Masonic Lodge is free”, because Russia “is a totalitarian regime and we have information that the Russian Masonic Lodge was supported, in the past, by the Kremlin”. The Russian soldiers, he adds, and “just see what they do in Mariupol”, are “wolves in sheep’s clothing”. But I “am proud that our Ukrainian brothers are committed to territorial defense and assistance to the affected population”. At the same time, “we use our influence to try to stop the war”. Strong words and accusations without discount are those spoken to AdnKronos by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ukraine, Anatoliy Dymchuk, who on 8 April last took part, via Zoom, in the ‘Grand Lodge 2022’ of the Grand Orient of Italy which took place at the Palacongressi in Rimini, which was also attended by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Russia, Andrey Bogdanov. “Freemasonry – the Grand Master began speaking with AdnKronos – does not accept tyranny, aggression, or war. This is one of the traditional foundations on which the Masonic Lodge is founded. We cannot support either war or tyranny. , nor moral and physical violence. It is impossible on a metaphysical level. We Masons, as Ukrainian citizens, actively fight against. Freemasonry recognizes as borders of a state those recognized by the various international institutions and by the government, unless it is a Totalitarian state, given that during totalitarian regimes Freemasonry has always been persecuted, as evidenced by what happened in imperial Russia and also in Soviet Russia “.” Freemasonry – he continues – fights against war, and I must say that as Grand Master I am proud that my ‘brothers’ Masons have not betrayed the oath. Many of them are in service in the territorial defense, many have left their homes, forced to evacuate re relatives and friends, abroad or in remote areas, almost all are involved in humanitarian operations and volunteer projects, but look instead at the Russian soldiers, they are wolves in sheep’s clothing, just see what they do in Mariupol. As Grand Master I am really proud of my Ukrainian Brothers who have trusted their Masonic oaths and their civic duties towards the Fatherland. “The Grand Master is not only proud of this:” I have a company that deals with marine affairs in Odessa, but since the whole sea is now mined, I can’t take care of it. That’s why I’m dedicating myself to volunteering, as well as working on the diplomatic front. The Masonic Lodge has organized three groups of volunteers. We also deal with the logistics of goods that arrive from abroad from our ‘brothers’ and that we distribute within the country. There are also groups that organize themselves. We work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with our volunteers “. But it is speaking of the Russian ‘brothers’ Freemasons that Anatoly Dymchuk warms up.” We do not recognize the Russian Masonic Lodge – he observes -, they were the first to disavowing ourselves, consequently we did too. And there is more than one valid reason, one of which is that there is a totalitarian regime in Russia, which is why free Freemasons, by definition, cannot exist in Russia. Another valid reason is that the Russian Masonic Lodge is spreading lies and has betrayed its Masonic traditions. He began to spread lies about the Ukrainian Lodge, to offend us, and this is unacceptable “.” According to the traditions – continues the Grand Master -, the conversations between the Lodges take place in a confidential way through the Secretaries. But in one of the correspondence emails between our Secretariats, the Russian side forgot to cancel their internal conversation, in the course of which, as we have seen, they called us ‘khokhly’, a word used by the Russians to express their contempt. towards the Ukrainian people. It’s a bit like calling Italians ‘eat spaghetti’. This is absolutely unacceptable, it is a provocation. And they didn’t apologize. The offenses come from the Russian Grand Master Bogdanov himself “.” I have often spoken with foreign ‘brothers’ – then the Grand Master underlines -, and I can say that I have many doubts about the freedom of the Russian Masonic Lodge, which is located in a country with a totalitarian regime. Free Freemasons do not accept the totalitarian regime on principle “. Immediately afterwards Anatoly Dymchuk returns to his Russian counterpart:” In 2014 the Grand Master of the Russian Lodge – he says – has repeatedly published on his Facebook profile exhortations to divide or invade Ukraine . Bogdanov was the leader of the Communist Party, which as you know does not recognize religion. He ran for president. But Freemasons, by definition, cannot be atheists. Furthermore, Freemasonry must recognize the borders of a sovereign state recognized by international organizations, such as the UN for example. The Russian ‘brothers’ believe they are free, but in reality they are not. “” But there is also another thing that I intend to reveal – underlines the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ukraine -, we discovered, from the conversations of the Russian Freemasons chased away, that the Russian Masonic Lodge is supported by the Kremlin, and in particular by Surkov, an entrepreneur and Putin’s trusted advisor for years “.” According to the traditions of Freemasonry – continues the Grand Master -, in the Lodges it is forbidden to talk about religion and politics. This is why I turned to foreign ‘brothers’, as well as citizens of foreign countries, to ask them to try to use their influence at all levels to try to stop this bloody and unjust war. Freemasons around the world help the Ukrainian people by sending humanitarian aid, transferring money to the Red Cross, Caritas and other Ukrainian and international charities. Every day hundreds of proposals for help, asylum and prayers for the suffering Ukrainian people arrive at the Secretariat. From all countries of the world. Except one … “.” Freemasonry – concludes the Grand Master Anatoly Dymchuk at Adnkronos – has always actively cultivated human values ​​in general, the values ​​of humanity, of Italian Humanism, of Freedoms, of Dignity, has always fought against slavery, ignorance, tyranny, totalitarianism, lack of law. In the Masonic Lodges, thanks to the philosophical-symbolic system, the teaching of moral and ethical principles takes place, which are carried out by the ‘brothers’ in society. Also because perhaps the main objective of ‘Freemasons’, from the point of view of civil development, is the evolution of society while preserving its best achievements for the construction of a harmonious, ideal society, which Freemasons call the Age of Astrea, or the Third Temple of Solomon “.