At the press conference “Prospects of Ukrainian Orthodoxy” held by UNIAN in Kyiv on December 5, 2017, the head of the Information Synodal Department of the UOC-MP, Archbishop Klyment (Vecherya) commented on the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.
At the press conference “Prospects of Ukrainian Orthodoxy” held by UNIAN in Kyiv on December 5, 2017, the head of the Information Synodal Department of the UOC-MP, Archbishop Klyment (Vecherya) commented on the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. The event was also attended by the head of the legal department of the UOC (MP) Fr. Oleksandr Bakhov and Deputy Head of the Department for External Church Relations Fr Myikolay Danilevich.
Answering the questions of the attendees, Archbishop Klyment told about the participation of the Russian President in the Council. Thus, on December 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the participants of the Council. Asked whether the episcopate of the UOC-MP expressed their against the war to Putin, as they acted in case where the episcopate of the UOC-MP refused to stand in Parliament during the commemoration of the fallen Ukrainian servicemen, the Metropolis spokesman said that the Ukrainian bishops did not participate in this meeting.
The hierarch also failed to answer the question whether the episcopate of the UOC (MP) protested against Russia's violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, namely the annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Instead, he reminded that the UOC (MP) supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine, as indicated in the relevant documents. When it was asked, if it means that the episcopate of the UOC (MP) had the opportunity to express protest to the Russian president, but this opportunity was not used, Archbishop Klyment called it “an incorrect question.”
The UOC (MP) spokesman also noted that the Council emphasized the role of the Church in the release of prisoners of war, and also drew attention to the importance of “overcoming the crisis in the East of Ukraine.” It was referred to clause 27 of the Decree of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, in which, in particular, the war in the East of Ukraine is referred to as “fratricidal hostility”.
Altogether, 56 of the 85 bishops of the UOC (MP) were present at the Council.
Earlier, on November 30, 2017, during the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow, a decision was made to amend the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church. Thus, in particular, the provisions concerning the UOC-MP were formulated in separate sections. However, experts argue that these amendments are cosmetic in nature and do not increase the rights of the UOC (MP).