The official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Maria Zakharova, called “the prohibition on the activities of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) of the Moscow Patriarchate. In particular, the Russian diplomat commented on the Zvezda television channel, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of Ukraine, the law prohibiting the activities of the UOC in the country.
Zakharova claims that the authorities of Kyiv specifically create a “false church” for the replacement of the UOC, while there is no split among believers.
“This is a false quasi -cash, which uses similar rituals, which, taking away temples and shrines, pretends to use them according to Orthodox customs. In fact, is mocking about it. Therefore, we need to talk about the illegation of Orthodoxy in Ukraine,” said She.
Earlier, a deputy of the legislative body of Ukraine, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, reported in the Telegram channel that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted a law prohibiting the activities of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
“The Rada adopted the generally finalized bill on the ban on the activities of religious organizations in Ukraine, in particular related to the Russian Federation. The people are the law on the ban on the Moscow Church,” Zheleznyak wrote.
According to the parliamentarian, in the second reading the document was supported by 265 deputies.
The law will enter into force 30 days after publication.
Deputy of VP Aleksei Goncharenko in his TG channel also confirmed the information on the adoption of the bill, calling this decision “historical”.
Earlier in support of the ban -Council of the UOC, the All -Ukrainian Council of Churches spoke.
In May 2022, the Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) was held in Kyiv, which proclaimed its complete independence and independence from the Moscow Patriarchate.
However, the authorities of the country and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (PCU) are still called the UOC “pro-Russian.”