Cherkasy mayor: We will cleanse the Moscow filth from the city to the last

Cherkasy mayor Anatoliy Bondarenko. Photo: Bondarenko's Facebook page

The mayor of Cherkasy Anatoliy Bondarenko said in a video message posted on Facebook that he will lead a campaign to eradicate the UOC in the city.

According to him, many ask, 'Why are the city authorities delaying the transition of our churches under the jurisdiction of our state, under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian faith?'

Bondarenko stated that he watched the appeal of the rector of the Sretensky Church, Yevhen Burkatsky, where the priest accused him of organizing a fake meeting for the transition using state employees. The mayor did not refute the priest's words in any way but stated that he 'often spoke with the late Bishop Sofroniy,' and expressed confidence that 'if Bishop Sofroniy were here, the Church would have long since moved (to the OCU – Ed.), the entire eparchy would have transferred.'

According to Bondarenko, 'our task today is to help the community do this.'

'They (UOC, - Ed.) are busy trying to keep their so-called parishes. I personally address Mr. Burkatsky. The battalion "Perlyna" will cleanse your Moscow filth from the city of Cherkasy to the last. And you know – I kept myself away from this topic. But from today, I take on the responsibility to lead this campaign against you – against Moscow agents who have settled here and, under the cover of cassocks, are collecting money from our citizens,' Bondarenko declared.

He noted that he has documents according to which 'half of the (UOC temples – Ed.) are illegally built, half have no permits for these buildings.'

At the same time, he noted that these temples were built by Bishop Sofroniy (whom the mayor often met – Ed.).

'Get ready – in Cherkasy, there will be no Moscow priests, in Cherkasy, people will pray in the Ukrainian language,' Bondarenko concluded his speech."

As reported, the rector of the Sretensky Church in Cherkasy accused Anatoliy Bondarenko of compelling state employees, under the threat of dismissal, to vote for the transition of his church to the OCU. Additionally, the priest proposed to Bondarenko to build a new church for the OCU using funds that he is using to construct an estate near the "Perlyna” sanatorium.

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