“I did everything that depended on me as a ruling bishop of the UOC-KP and on my priests. If we've made any mistakes, we would have long been liquidated, and we would not have been in Crimea. We saved the diocese, the church, the faithful,” he added.
“I had no intention to move to the mainland, and I banish such thoughts. For if I make a step toward mainland Ukraine - it will be a betrayal of God. The Lord through the laying on of hands of His Holiness Patriarch Filaret and my brothers bishops made me the hierarch of the Crimean see, and I was appointed to the Crimean see. And under the apostolic rules, regulations of the Ecumenical Councils, no matter if I want it or not, no matter how difficult or easy it was, I have to remain in this see until death. If I leave the see before I die, I am a traitor of God,” Archbishop Klyment said.
“I did everything that depended on me as a ruling bishop of the UOC-KP and on my priests. If we've made any mistakes, we would have long been liquidated, and we would not have been in Crimea. We saved the diocese, the church, the faithful,” he added.
In particular, Bishop Klyment mentioned the capture of a Ukrainian military unit in March 2014 in the village of Perevalne, Simferopol district, in which the temple of the UOC-KP was located, and how the invaders threatened him with weapons. “Having approached the military unit, I talked to our guys, blessed them, then I turned my face toward the attackers. I said: "First shoot me, and then - my guys whom I came to protect. This is my military servicemen, they belong to our Ukrainian army. And let the whole world see how you shoot the Orthodox bishop,” he said.