“President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recalled that the ROC in Ukraine is often managed by Russian intelligence and that it has no right to influence the faithful and the parish of the Ukrainian Church. He said this in an interview with the founder of Daily Wire Ben Shapiro. Answering a somewhat provocative question Shapiro on the accusations of the Ukrainian authorities to restrict freedom of religion regarding the Russian Orthodox Church in”, – WRITE ON: ua.news
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recalled that the ROC in Ukraine is often managed by Russian intelligence and that it has no right to influence the faithful and the parish of the Ukrainian Church.
He said this in an interview with the founder of Daily Wire Ben Shapiro.
Responding to a somewhat provocative issue of Shapiro on the accusations of the Ukrainian authorities of restricting the freedom of religion regarding the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, Zelensky stated that there are no “no” shadow “practices” and that we “are completely open, transparent.”
“Anyone can confirm that no pressure exists. We celebrate all the holidays together. We have people of different faiths, and we always invite everyone. This is important, ”the President said.
According to the Head of State, the problem is not in the Moscow Church, but that “in the case of Russia Moscow is only another KGB unit.”
“Everyone knows that Russian special services control churches. So they are arranged. This is their choice. Their people either support this or not – it’s their right. And we never raised this issue – neither before war nor during the war. But the fact remains: their special services controlled the churches operating in Ukraine. It’s wrong. The church must be independent and Moscow cannot control our church. Their KGB, their intelligence cannot manage or influence the Ukrainian Church. They should not be here, ”Zelensky said.
According to the President, the legislative changes in Ukraine are “related to the fact that there can be no connection between Moscow and the Church.”
He added that “no one closed anything and forbid anyone,” but “it cannot be so that the Russian KGB controls the church in Ukraine.” Zelensky noted that “everyone opposes such legal relations, it is not only about the relationship at the intelligence level.”
“It was a legal connection that has existed for many years. But this should not be. We should not argue about whose church is older. Ukraine should not discuss it at all. Look – we are now sitting next to St. Sophia Cathedral. Sofia is older than the capital of Russia and any of their churches. This building is older – and this is the answer, ”the head of state said.
The President added that Ukraine should not have disputes (on religious issues. – Ed.), And that “we have scientific evidence.”
“We just say: our church must be free from any external influence. It should be free for people, ”Zelensky summed up.
The UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate is actively spreading pro -Russian propaganda, adjusting the faithful against the current authorities in Ukraine, and takes other actions that are frank sabotage in favor of Russia.
The other day, the Security Service of Ukraine in absentia has announced suspicion of 14 Russian clerks that contribute to the spread of the Russian regime in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
In the midst of April, the SBU searched the office of the Metropolitanate of the UOC -MP of the Kiev Metropolitanate, as it is considered the main lobbyist of the Kremlin’s interests in Ukraine.
