Chaplains made part of Ukraine’s military as war drags on

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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The first group of chaplains to join the Ukrainian military’s command structure has graduated. Although chaplains have ministered to Ukraine’s armed forces for years, they worked as embedded civilians rather than as officers. Now, they will undergo a six-week training program and get inducted. The first group of military chaplains to fall under this new system began training Feb. 20 and had their graduation ceremony on Saturday at Kyiv’s 11th century Saint Sophia Cathedral. With Ukraine entering its second year of war against Russia’s invasion, the need for chaplains to support its soldiers is greater than ever. In their new assignments, they won’t use weapons but are expected to know general military concepts and tactical medicine, according to Ukrainian authorities.