Head of the Russian Orthodox Church: There is no Ukrainian people but a flock

This was stated by the Patriarch of Moscow to the Russian media, reports Glavkom.

"The current policy aimed at dividing the church, it is very tied to the political situation, because no theological considerations can explain the attempt of people to divide their Orthodox Church, to weaken it. To please why? And for what purpose? There is only one goal – to get as far away from Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church as possible, and this is a political goal, not a spiritual one," he said.

The Patriarch noted that for him "there is no division into peoples and states", but "there is a flock of the Russian Orthodox Church."

Patriarch Kirill noted that the church division in Ukraine causes him "great grief".

"This is a really big grief for me. I could even use a stronger word: it is a grief to see the division of the Orthodox people, to see terrible cruelty. I think that the Ukrainian leadership is not happy with what is happening, but the flywheel of hatred, division, and confrontation has been launched," he said.

At the same time, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church praised the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Onufriy, who "does not allow himself to be drawn into a confrontation."