Yelensky assures there're almost no conflicts around UOC temples in Ukraine

Larina and Elensky. Photo: Pershyi Kozatskyi

The head of the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) Yelensky, in an interview with the nun of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) Vassa Larina, made a number of controversial statements regarding the religious situation in the country. In particular, he claimed that there are no divisions based on religious criteria in Ukraine.

“The Russian invaders hoped that Ukraine would be divided along ethnic and religious lines, but this is not the case,” Yelensky assured Larina.

The head of DESS attempted to refute reports of the persecution of believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, stating that the law “On the Protection of Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Religious Organizations' Activities” allegedly “does not prohibit the activities of the UOC”.

According to him, incidents around UOC temples are few, and he accused believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of initiating them.

“There were several incidents when people said: 'We cannot be under the subordination of the Moscow Patriarchate and we would like to be part of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,' while another, smaller part of this church did not want to 'betray' their priest and tried to protect their cathedral. But in 2024, there were no more than six such incidents,” Yelensky assured.

When asked by Larina whether the authorities encourage violence against UOC believers and whether the police assist in the seizure of churches, Yelensky replied: “Absolutely not.”

Speaking about the situation with the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the DESS head stated that the UOC monks are “still in the monastery,” omitting the ongoing legal processes regarding their eviction from the shrine.

He also called the claims of Americans that Zelensky is hostile towards the UOC and Christianity in general “absurd”. According to him, Ukraine “is a beacon of religious freedom”.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to Yelensky, there is a high level of faith freedom in Ukraine.

Read also