Deputy Poturaev, who had been persecuting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, announced that he was resigning his seat

On July 16, 2026, Member of Parliament Mykyta Poturaev officially announced his intention to resign from his parliamentary seat. According to , the Information and Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the politician’s decision caused a widespread reaction due to his controversial activities and public statements regarding religious organizations.

Throughout his political career, Mykyta Poturaev has been known for his harsh criticism and initiatives directed against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In particular, the lawmaker has repeatedly called for strict restrictions on the activities of UOC parishes, proposing to strip them of their rights to use churches and to ban worship services even in private premises. His rhetoric, which included calls to repurpose church buildings for secular use, sparked serious public debate.

The politician also promoted the idea of state control over the religious sphere, involving security services to enforce a ban on the UOC’s worship activities. In addition, Poturaev proposed legislative initiatives that would provide support, funded by citizens’ tax deductions, exclusively to certain religious denominations, such as the OCU and the UGCC, while excluding other religious groups from this system.