Novinsky: Whoever claiming Ukraine has freedom of faith tells a lie
The UOC protodeacon tells Die Weltwoche of brutal persecution of the canonical Church and forced mobilization of its clergy.
Protodeacon of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and former MP Vadym Novinsky has stated that there is no freedom of religion in Ukraine. He said this in an interview with the Swiss outlet Die Weltwoche in a special edition of the Weltwoche Daily program. The interview was conducted by the publication's editor-in-chief, Roger Köppel.
"Our Church, the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is subjected to brutal persecution. Whoever claims that there is freedom of religion in the country is telling an absolute lie," the protodeacon said.
He pointed out that Ukraine has adopted a law that allows the state to ban the UOC and its activities. As Fr. Vadym noted, this law targets the structures of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, whereas the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is "another, state-controlled organization." According to him, all this is being done with the support of law enforcement agencies, while UOC priests are being imprisoned without legitimate grounds.
The protodeacon stressed that clergy of all religious denominations in Ukraine are exempt from mobilisation, with the exception of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He noted that UOC clerics are being forcibly conscripted despite having taken a vow to the Lord.
"They are not supposed to shed blood; they should not even go hunting. And now they are being forced to kill. They are being sent to the front line – this is genocide," the protodeacon said. He described what was happening as a violation of an oath, for which Volodymyr Zelensky bears responsibility.
Fr. Vadym recalled that during the 2019 presidential election, Volodymyr Zelensky had promised that all religious denominations would enjoy equal rights, that he would never interfere in church affairs, and that he would correct the imbalance created under Petro Poroshenko. "Our flock believed him," the protodeacon stressed.
In the interview, the clergyman also said that abroad he continues to take part in divine services – mainly in churches of the Serbian Orthodox Church, including in Croatia, where he is currently residing.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to the DESS head Yelensky, freedom of faith was violated under Yanukovych, but not under Zelensky.
