The Phenomenon of Ukrainian Chaplaincy from the Underground of the 1990s to Officer Ranks in the Historical and Spiritual Experience of Lieutenant Colonel of Aviation and Pastor Vasyl Khimich

Authors

• Valentyna Kuryliak, Ukrainian Institute of Arts and SciencesFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5245-9700.

Abstract

Vasyl Khimich is a career aviation officer, retired lieutenant colonel, and pastor who combined the discipline of a Soviet officer with the spiritual mission of developing educational standards. This interview is about how faith became a strategic resource of national security. The figure of Vasyl Khimich is exceptionally valuable for the history of Protestantism in Ukraine, as he combines the experience of a Soviet career aviation officer, a pastor, and a developer of the first standards of military chaplaincy in Ukraine. His path demonstrates the complex evolution of the Ukrainian military-Christian movement from underground meetings to official recognition at the state level.

Recommended Citation

Kuryliak, Valentyna (2026) "The Phenomenon of Ukrainian Chaplaincy from the Underground of the 1990s to Officer Ranks in the Historical and Spiritual Experience of Lieutenant Colonel of Aviation and Pastor Vasyl Khimich," Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe: Vol. 46 : Iss. 5 , Article 16.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55221/2693-2229.2842
Available at: https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/ree/vol46/iss5/16