Cherkasy regional council сall on central authorities to ban UOC

A session of the Cherkasy regional council. Photo: oblradack.gov.ua

On 3 March 2023, the Cherkasy regional council adopted an appeal to the President, the Verkhovna Rada, the Cabinet of Ministers and the National Security and Defence Council to ban the activity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, reports procherk.info.

The authors of the appeal claim that "representatives of the branch of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, which calls itself the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, allow themselves to broadcast Kremlin propaganda, propaganda of the "Russian world", justify the aggression of Putin and Russia against Ukraine, consciously sow discord among believers" and also "ideologically ground, justify and support the crime of genocide against Ukrainians and all war crimes committed by Russia on the territory of Ukraine".

The document stressed that "there is no place in Ukraine for the Russian Church and its structural units – no matter how the latter are disguised".

The deputies demanded that "the churches that are a part (subdivision) of the Russian Orthodox Church and other churches or religious organisations of the Russian Federation mark their affiliation" and that "law-enforcement agencies respond to all detected facts of cooperation with the aggressor or conducting anti-Ukrainian propaganda by religious organisations and churches <...> with a subsequent ban on the activity of such organisations in Ukraine".

The publication notes that such appeals have already been submitted to the regional council for approval more than once, but the deputies "failed" the vote.

The press service of the regional council did not mention the appeal to ban the UOC.

As reported, on 1 December 2022, Cherkasy city councillors decided to ask the Verkhovna Rada to ban the UOC from operating in the city.

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