The head of Ukraine's Orthodox Church has died at 78 after leading it for more than two decades during the tumultuous post-Soviet period. Metropolitan Volodymyr, who had been credited with stabilizing the church, died Saturday "after a long illness," the church announced online Saturday. Recently, Volodymyr often reflected pro-Russian opinions in Ukraine, as battles raged between government troops and separatist insurgents in the east of the country.
The Moscow Times: Putin expresses condolences over death of Ukraine Orthodox Church leader
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech on July 1 to Russian ambassadors, envoys and diplomats at the Foreign Ministry in Moscow.
