UOC-KP Bishops’ Council Calls Russia’s Allegations Against Ukraine ‘Cynical Lies’

The council strongly condemned manifestations of separatism in Ukraine and Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine. To this end, the council issued a statement on the Russian occupation of the Crimea and the manifestations of separatism.

An extraordinary meeting of the Bishops’ Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) was held March 11. It was attended by Patriarch Filaret and the entire episcopate.

The council strongly condemned manifestations of separatism in Ukraine and Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine. To this end, the council issued a statement on the Russian occupation of the Crimea and the manifestations of separatism.

“We, the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, on behalf of our church, along with all the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, strongly condemn separatism, calls for parts of Ukraine to secede or for federalization. Ukraine is one and indivisible, and all its citizens, regardless of nationality, language, religion or place of residence are one Ukrainian people.

“We especially condemn the armed separatist insurrection in late February of this year in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and the subsequent occupation of the Crimea by Russian troops, which continues today,” reads the statement.

The UOC-KP called Russia’s allegations that in Ukraine the Russian-speaking population is in danger, that there is no legitimate government, that events are being driven by extremists and fascists, and that there are no Russian troops in Crimea “cynical lies.”

The bishops of the UOC-KP urged religious leaders around the world to condemn the Russian aggression in Ukraine, to defend peace and prevent bloodshed.

The UOC-KP council asks the United States and the United Kingdom and other guarantors of the Budapest Memorandum, the EU, UN, OSCE, NATO, and the international community to stop Russian aggression in Ukraine, to force the Russian leadership to fulfill its international and bilateral obligations to stop interfering in Ukraine's internal affairs and inciting separatism.

The Kyivan Patriarchate blessed the troops and all the Ukrainian people “to stand firm in defense of an independent Ukraine, the inviolability of its borders, peace and unity in our shared home.”