UGCC and OCU believers hold Russian people responsible for war against Ukraine

04 March, 18:33

Photo source: Krym Realii

Most representatives of various religious and church groups agree with the statement that “the Russian people are responsible for the war against Ukraine.” Specifically, 97% of Greek Catholics support this view, followed by 90% of OCU believers, 83% of Protestants, and only 55.5% of UOC-MP believers.

A new sociological study was announced today in Kyiv during a round table discussion organized by the Razumkov Center. The event, titled “Ukrainian Society, State, and Church in Times of Peace and War: The Ecclesiastical and Religious Situation in Ukraine, 2000-2025,” presented several key findings.

The study revealed that a significant majority of Greek Catholics (89%) and Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) believers (72%) feel that the collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in more positive than negative consequences. In contrast, among other religious groups, just over 50% share this view.

The research also explored the attitudes of various religious groups towards social institutions. It found that individuals who do not identify with any religion have the least trust in these institutions. Only 30% of non-religious citizens trust the President of Ukraine, 12% trust the Ukrainian government as a whole, and just 9% trust the opposition.

In comparison, representatives of major religious denominations tend to trust social institutions more than non-religious people do. However, there are notable differences among the various denominations and churches. The President of Ukraine enjoys the highest level of trust among OCU believers (56%), followed by Greek Catholics (46%) and Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) believers (44%).

Tags: #Russian aggression against Ukraine #Sociological research #Razumkov Center #СРСР