Political expert: Attacks of the UOC temples happen due to hate fuelled by some MPs
His Eminence Clement told “Vesti” it is the thirteenth church assault for the last year. “Only the UOC is at gunpoint, while the MIA has not solved a single case so far. Even the case of the church attack in Baby Yar when young guys threw Molotov cocktails at the sanctity, has been dismissed by the law enforcers, who motivated it with the absence of the crime components, although there is a video on the Internet featuring the unknown attacking the temple and crying out nationalist slogans,” recounts His Eminence.
According to political experts, such occurrences are brought about by the policy of certain Parliamentarians who intentionally incite inter-faith animosity.
“These are the hatred seeds, planted by some MPs fuelling interfaith hatred. Indeed, the relations between KP and MP remain extremely intense, yet representatives of none of the denominations would act in that way,” says politologist Andrey Zolotariov.
In his opinion, such actions are carried out mostly by radical groups with support of their fellow-thinkers in the Parliament.
This position is also shared by political expert Konstantin Bondarenko. “The situation in the country vis-à-vis Moscow Patriarchate is poisonous. A lot of politicians unfairly place all the blame on the UOC, including the promotion of separatism, trying to make enemy #1 out of the Church.”
The situation is even more aggravated by the members of Kiev Patriarchate, pursuing an aggressive policy line against its rivals. “Being aware of the fact they have no chance of being recognized by the other confessions, they (UOC KP) are trying to conquer parishioners using all ploys,” says Mr Bondarenko.
Read also
DESS: The number of communities joining OCU in 2024 is half of last year’s
Over a year, 232 communities of the UOC changed their jurisdiction.
Scale of internal damage to UOC cathedral in Zaporizhzhia shown online
The video allows viewers to assess the damage endured by the main Orthodox church of the UOC in Zaporizhzhia.
Ex-MP UOC protodeacon Novinsky declared suspicion of high treason
The former MP is accused of "ensuring that a significant part of Ukrainian society, who are believers of the UOC, remain under the direct influence of the leader of the ROC".
St Andrew’s icon survives under the rubble of UOC cathedral in Zaporizhzhia
The icon was painted by nuns of the St Nicholas Monastery in Patras (Greece) and consecrated on the relics of St Andrew the Apostle.
RF missile strike destroys St Andrew's Cathedral of UOC in Zaporizhzhia
The fragments damaged the roof of the building, dome, ceilings, cut windows and disfigured classrooms.
Media shows conditions in which persecuted communities of Volyn have to pray
After their churches were seized, UOC faithful are compelled to pray in poorly equipped facilities.