Several dozen cases of cooperation between priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and the occupiers are being considered in court. Some of these collaborators have already been exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners of war.
Today, several dozen cases of collaboration between priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and Russian invaders are being considered in court. Some of these priests have been exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners of war, explained Viktor Yelensky, head of the State Service of Ukraine on Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, during a briefing, writes UNN.
"This is not about the connection of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the special services of the Russian Federation. If there is a connection of individual Orthodox priests with Russian special services, or with the occupiers, or facts of collaboration with the occupiers, then these cases are considered separately. And you know that we have several dozen such court cases where clergymen of this church were accused not just of connections, but of cooperation with the occupiers. Some of these priests were exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners of war," Yelensky said.
He also emphasized that the Russian Orthodox Church has set itself the goal of destroying the Ukrainian state, culture, and identity.
"We are talking about the fact that the Ukrainian state does not allow the activities of Russian Orthodox Church structures on the territory of Ukraine. The Russian Orthodox Church has set as its goal the destruction of the Ukrainian state, the destruction of Ukrainian culture, and the destruction of Ukrainian identity, and has openly declared this as its goal. It is also difficult to say who else has done so much to infuriate Ukrainians," Yelensky emphasized.
According to Yelensky, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate is being offered to withdraw from the subordination of the Russian Orthodox Church. This does not in any way pressure the conscience of believers, since subordination to the Moscow Patriarchate is not part of Orthodox church doctrine.
As reported, on August 27, 2025, the State Service of Ukraine on Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience recognized the Kyiv Metropolia of the UOC as affiliated with the ROC. This decision was made due to Metropolitan Onufriy's refusal to comply with the order to eliminate dependence on a foreign religious organization banned in Ukraine.