Political analyst: UOC believers are Zelensky's voters, he must hear them

Round table "Basic Law of Ukraine and its Application in Relation to the UOC". Photo: screenshot of the youtube channel Ukrainian News
Political expert Daniil Bogatyrev at the round table "The Basic Law of Ukraine and its Application to the UOC" stated that the majority of Vladimir Zelensky's voters are parishioners of the UOC, and he must hear them, including in terms of the abolition of anti-church laws, reports the youtube-channel Ukrainian News.
“All this (the adoption of anti-church laws – Ed.) was done as part of the election campaign of one politician Petro Poroshenko. The slogan ‘Army, Language, Faith’ was invented by Igor Grynev, one of the main strategists of Poroshenko's electoral headquarters. This slogan caused a number of conflicts amid Ukrainian believers. Last but not least, the people of Ukraine elected the current President Zelensky out of indignation with this slogan and support for one confession of the OCU ... Many, if not most of the voters of Vladimir Zelensky, are parishioners of the UOC ... so we wonder why in the third year of the presidency the one who was elected primarily by the UOC has not yet canceled two anti-church laws,” the political analyst noted.
According to Daniil Bogatyrev, in order for the authorities to hear the voice of the Orthodox, the laity must act and go to prayer meetings, just as they went to the Verkhovna Rada and the Office of the President on June 15.
“As a political analyst, I will say that we were heard by President Zelensky. Initially, he dismissively responded (to the prayer standing on June 15 – Ed.), but literally on the same day, his adviser Mikhail Podoliak, an experienced PR specialist, began to apologize that they ... did not want to offend the believers of the UOC. This means that our message has reached Bankova, which means that such actions must be continued. Should the Church itself take part in this as a structure with hierarchs? In my opinion, no, because the Church is not a political structure, but a spiritual, religious one. However, active lay people should take part in such initiatives,” he added.
Let us recall that on June 15, 20,000 believers of the UOC held a prayer standing near the Verkhovna Rada and passed two bills aimed at protecting the rights of believers in the UOC.
As the UOJ previously reported, Archbishop Nikolai (Pochtovy) of Vasilkiv said that by recognizing the schismatics, Phanar struck a blow to all of Orthodoxy.
Read also
432 UOC churches damaged in Ukraine during war, report says
According to the Religion on Fire project, 807 religious buildings in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed as a result of hostilities.
DESS official gives number of clergy exempt from mobilization in Ukraine
A DESS representative said the actual number of clergy exempt from mobilization is significantly lower than the number of religious organizations designated as critical.
Cabinet keeps gas prices unchanged for religious organizations
The Cabinet has fixed gas prices for religious organizations through the end of the 2026–2027 heating season.
Concert held at seized Cherkasy cathedral
The OCU thanked the musical ensemble for choosing the Cherkasy cathedral as the venue for a Baroque music concert.
OCU activist admits breaking into UOC church in Sloviansk
Oleksandr Onyshchenko said that the OCU held its first "service" at the Seraphim Church, which had previously been broken into by forcing the locks and doors.
Archimandrite Ioustinos, longtime keeper of Jacob's Well, dies in Jordan
Archimandrite Ioustinos (Mamallos), the keeper of Jacob's Well in Nablus, has died after a prolonged illness.