Filaret explains words that Donbass residents must atone sins with blood

Filaret Denisenko. Photo: konkurent.ua

Filaret Denisenko commented on his statements about the "sin of federalization", which the population of Donbass should "atone with suffering and blood", made at the very beginning of the military conflict in Eastern Ukraine.

In an interview with the “Pavlovsky news” Telegram channel, the leader of the UOC-KP explained that it was mainly about the Russians living there.

“The fact is that I myself am from the Donbass and I know well that there is not a single non-Ukrainian village there – all the villages are Ukrainian,” Filaret said. “This means that the Donbass is the Ukrainian land. But at mines, factories, in cities, there are Russians and different nationalities, because they settled there when the industrialization of the Donbass began. Therefore, they should be grateful that Ukraine accepted them."

He added that his position on the Donbass does not change – "this is the Ukrainian land and should remain Ukrainian, but we will be glad if Russians live on this land with us, like brothers with brothers".

Filaret also emphasized that he supports the policy of the current President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky in the Donbass and stands for a "fair peace".

“We support not only the President but all the patriotic forces that hold this position – a fair peace. <...> There is no eternal war, someday it will end," the head of the liquidated church structure resumed.

Earlier, Filaret Denisenko explained the war in the Donbass as atonement for disbelief.

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