The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy, believes that Russia wants to destroy the OCU in the annexed Crimea completely.
He said this in an interview with the Espresso TV channel.
"Now the situation in the occupied territories is very difficult: in Crimea and certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. It is somewhat different, because in Crimea recently there have been attempts to destroy the presence of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine completely. The central cathedral is being taken away from us. In certain places, they are trying, according to court orders, to demolish churches," Metropolitan Epifaniy is quoted as saying by the publication "Krym.Realii".
The head of the OCU noted that the current government in Russia acts "worse than the Bolsheviks."
"They (the Bolsheviks – KR) destroyed churches themselves. But now they are making a decision that we should demolish the temple that was built on our own, with our own hands. The courts of the Russian Federation issue such prescriptive orders to demolish churches," the rector of the OCU noted.
Earlier, Metropolitan Epifaniy requested President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Cabinet of Ministers and law enforcement agencies to take measures to stop pressure on the OCU in Crimea.