Far-right activist Karas called for the seizure of Ukrainian Orthodox Church churches amid statements by Donald Trump

The commander of the 413th “Raid” Unmanned Systems Regiment, far-right extremist Yevgeny Karas, issued a harsh call for the complete “de-occupation” of the churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. These statements were prompted by remarks from the 47th U.S. President, Donald Trump, who had previously pointed to the need for a change in political leadership in Ukraine.

On his Telegram channel, Karas stated that the current international situation allegedly removes all restrictions on the use of force against church properties. According to him, previous concerns regarding the reaction of Western politicians and international organizations are no longer relevant. In the context of his rhetoric, he called the parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) a “strategic reserve of saboteurs,” insisting on their complete removal.

On October 10, Donald Trump, speaking to the press, expressed the view that Volodymyr Zelenskyy had missed numerous opportunities for a peaceful resolution of the conflict; therefore, according to the American politician, Ukraine should elect a new head of state. Yevhen Karas, commenting on these remarks, called on his supporters to take active measures, concluding his address with radical slogans.

As a reminder, a meeting was held earlier in Washington between a delegation of Orthodox clergy and U.S. Congressman Darrell Issa to discuss the situation surrounding the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The main topic of the dialogue was the ongoing religious persecution of believers.