"No Ukrainian politician to ever control the Orthodox Church of Ukraine," - Metropolitan Epifaniy

Metropolitan Epifaniy, the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, stated this in his address on April 13.

According to him, "For years, the structure of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine was built precisely on this erroneous model of shadow control. Derkach, Novynsky, Medvedchuk, and other similar figures considered themselves as participants in a 'joint-stock company' that made key decisions behind the backs of 'hired managers' in cassocks. This model, to a large extent, contributed to the current public catastrophe of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine."

"Our opponents persistently try to discredit the Orthodox Church of Ukraine by imposing an image of the 'church of Petro Poroshenko' on it... We have repeatedly refuted such false rumors not only through statements but also through the realities of our life. Neither Petro Poroshenko nor any other politician, regardless of whether he represents the government or the opposition, plays an exceptional role in the life of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine that would give anyone a reason to associate our Local Church with these names," Metropolitan Epifaniy stated.

He called the information that the leadership of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and the Primate personally, are supposedly controlled and directed by someone, a lie: "Such statements are a blatant lie and dirty slander. No, I emphasize - no Ukrainian politician has had or has any control over the position and decisions of the Church," stressed Metropolitan Epifaniy.