The Ecumenical Patriarchate claims that the so-called "interview" of Patriarch Bartholomew for the Pro-Russian media outlet strana.ua is a fake.
This was reported by Channel 5 citing the statement made by Constantinople.
“On July 28, the Pro-Russian propagandist website strana.ua published material with contradictory statements about both Saint Sophia and the provision of Tomos of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” the media notes.
“Strana” has stated that the Ecumenical Patriarch allegedly gave an "interview" to an employee of the media during his recent visit to the island of Tenedos. However, the press service of the Patriarchate has denied that Bartholomew had a conversation with any media at all at this time.
“The Patriarch did not give any interview during his stay on the island of Tenedos, either in the form of a statement or in the form of short comments on the issues of this particular or any media. It is true that the mentioned Ukrainian lady and her family addressed the Ecumenical Patriarch and introduced herself as a journalist, and asked for an interview. Still, the Ecumenical Patriarch politely refused,” Bartholomew's office stresses.