Novinsky now wants to involve the Moscow Patriarchate in prisoner exchange

"As I understand it, he (head of the presidential office Andriy Yermak — Ed.) communicates directly with the leadership of our church on this topic (prisoner exchange — Ed.). There is some kind of dialogue on this topic, but I believe that the peacekeeping potential of the UOC-MP is not employed at all," Novinsky said in an interview with Ukrayinska Pravda. This is reported by "Rakurs".

According to the sponsor of the UOC-MP, the Church has "a huge potential in the matter of prisoner exchange, which no one uses."

The UOC-MP has parishes of its diocese absolutely throughout Ukraine, including Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk. After all, Metropolitan Lazar of Crimea is a member of the Holy Synod, as well as Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk, none of the priests has fled anywhere, neither on the contact line nor near the places where fighting is currently taking place," Novinsky said.

At the same time, the MP was reminded that the UOC-MP is accused of collaborating with the Russian invaders.

Recall that in 2018, Novinsky was included in the Myrotvorets ("Peacemaker") website's database for spreading Kremlin propaganda on behalf of the UOC-MP. The MP is also "an opponent of the independence of Ukrainian orthodoxy from the Russian Orthodox Church of the aggressor country." "Myrotvorets" mentioned that it finances activities that incite interfaith hostility and deny Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

In addition, the legality of granting Ukrainian citizenship to Novinsky in 2018 was checked by the prosecutor general's office. Then investigators questioned the legality of the decree of the fugitive president Viktor Yanukovych of May 29, 2012, on granting the deputy Ukrainian citizenship.