The Russian invasion of Ukraine has everyone wondering what’s on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s mind and why he chose to attack now. Well, Putin finally spoke about the attack. During a pro-war rally in Moscow on Friday night, Putin cited the words of Jesus Christ to justify his invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking to the crowd in a turtleneck and down winter coat, Putin said he ordered the invasion “to get people out of their misery, out of this genocide, that is the main reason, the motive, and purpose of the military operation that we began in Donbas and Ukraine,” according to The Washington Post. Russia has continually accused the Ukrainian government of committing genocide in separatist-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine.

“And this is where the words from the Scriptures come to my mind: ‘There is no greater love than if someone gives his soul for his friends,’” Putin continued, paraphrasing John 15:13.

Both the Post and ABC News translate the Russian word душу (dushu) as “soul,” but most English translations of the passage use “life.” The verse is part of a long discourse Jesus delivered to his disciples as they traveled to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he was arrested and taken to be crucified after ordering Simon Peter not to use force to defend him.

Putin identifies as a Russian Orthodox Christian but has expressed discomfort with speaking publicly about his faith. When Putin was TIME’s Person of the Year in 2007, the interviewer asked him if he believed in a Supreme God. Putin replied, “There are things I believe, which should not in my position, at least, be shared with the public at large for everybody’s consumption because that would look like self-advertising or a political striptease.”

When asked about what role faith should play in government, Putin said, “First and foremost, we should be governed by common sense. But common sense should be based on moral principles first. And it is not possible today to have morality separated from religious values. I will not expand, as I don’t want to impose my views on people who have different viewpoints.”

Moscow police said more than 200,000 people attended the rally, Al Jazeera reported. Polling shows that most Russians support the war in Ukraine, which has already left numerous Ukrainian civilians displaced, injured, and dead. Since the war began less than four weeks ago, about 3,780 residential buildings have been partially damaged, and 651 homes were destroyed across the country, the Ukraine Emergency Service said.

As far as when the war will end, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prepared to negotiate a deal directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war that he said has left cities across his country bombed beyond recognition. The Russian invasion of Ukraine hasn’t made sense to many people. However, Putin says the purpose of the attack was to get people out of their misery. He even went as far as quoting Scripture to get his point across. Let’s hope that President Putin will look harder into the Bible and find it in his heart to end this war.

“Words from the Holy Bible come to my head: there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin praises troops at a huge patriotic rally marking the eighth anniversary of the annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea pic.twitter.com/t1Ox5HuJQY

— TRT World (@trtworld) March 19, 2022