The difference between “Kvartal 95” and the UOC

Timur Myndych, Zelensky’s friend and CEO of “Kvartal 95.” Photo: 24 Kanal

Today, a shocking scandal has engulfed President Zelensky’s inner circle, centered on a man whom the media describes as his long-time close friend – Tymur Mindich. Mindich is accused of overseeing massive corruption schemes in the energy and defense sectors, schemes through which hundreds of millions of dollars were allegedly laundered.

But beyond all that, Zelensky and Mindich are linked by many years of working together in “Kvartal 95,” where Mindich is both co-owner and CEO.

The studio has now released a statement insisting that Mindich has no influence over them and appealing to the public not to apply the principle of collective responsibility to the project’s employees. “The co-owner has a legal connection to the Studio, but does not participate in its work and does not influence its content or decisions. ‘Kvartal 95’ is not one person but a brand and a large team that has existed for over 20 years and all this time has been engaged exclusively in producing audio-visual content,” the statement reads.

This post was shared by the group “Myriany” (UOC laity union  wrote – Ed.) with the comment: “By this same logic, no one should be touching the UOC either, right?”

And indeed, the parallels with the UOC are hard to miss. Mindich has a legal tie to the studio. The UOC doesn’t even have that with the ROC – its connection lies solely in the realm of canon law, and Moscow neither influences nor can influence the Ukrainian Church.

Do Zelensky and other officials take this into account? Quite the opposite. Society is being persuaded that the UOC is “Moscow-run,” “FSB-controlled,” and must bear responsibility for every action of the Kremlin.

The team at Kvartal stresses that they are a large collective that cannot be held responsible for Mindich’s actions and that they are simply doing their work. But is this not precisely what UOC clergy and believers have been trying to explain for years? That they simply attend services and pray, as generations before them did? That they are not responsible for the positions of hierarchs in another northern country?

If Zelensky is a man of principle, then “Kvartal 95” should be closed, and criminal cases and sanctions should be opened against its members – exactly as he has done to many hierarchs, priests, and even Orthodox journalists, who have done nothing wrong.

But something suggests that this will not happen. As “Myriany” wrote, “this is different.”

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