Zelensky dismisses First Deputy Head of OP positioned as loyal to UOC

Sergei Trofimov. Photo: pravda.com.ua

On November 4, 2020, President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky dismissed Sergei Trofimov, who openly positions himself as a believer in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, from the post of First Deputy Head of the President's Office, says the corresponding decree published on the President's website.

It is noted that Trofimov's dismissal took place "in accordance with his application".

According to another presidential decree of November 4, Sergei Trofimov is appointed "External Advisor to the President of Ukraine".

Sergei Trofimov was appointed First Deputy Head of the President’s Administration on May 21, 2019. After the appointment, Trofimov promised to personally study the violations of the rights of believers of the canonical Church and also called the scandalous law No. 5309 on renaming the UOC “pressure and political manipulation”. In the summer of 2020, the author of anti-church law No. 5309, Alexander Briginets, made a petition demanding the dismissal of Trofimov for his "loyalty to the Moscow Patriarchate".

As reported, on October 19, 2020, the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, married Sergei and Anastasia Trofimov in Feofania.

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