Head of the OCU, stated that there is no religious persecution in Ukraine

In an interview with Radio Liberty, Epiphany Dumenko, head of the OCU, asserted that freedom of religion is respected in Ukraine and that there are no instances of oppression against religious organizations. To support his claims, the head of the OCU cited the views of representatives of Jewish communities, though he did not name any specific individuals.

Dumenko emphasized that on behalf of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, which he heads, he can attest to a high level of religious freedom, allegedly exceeding European standards. In his view, even representatives of Jewish communities acknowledge this, despite the ongoing military hostilities in the country.

During the interview, the head of the OCU also addressed the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). Dumenko categorically characterized the UOC as the “Russian Church,” stating that the rights of its parishioners are not being violated. At the same time, he set a condition for the full realization of believers’ rights: according to Dumenko, representatives of this denomination must officially declare their affiliation with the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, effectively renouncing their own historical self-identification.

As a reminder, on June 22, 2026, a delegation from the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (ACCRO) visited Brussels, where it presented to its European counterparts its position regarding the Ukrainian government’s actions in the religious sphere. Representatives of various denominations described the government’s current policy toward the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) as necessary measures to “protect freedom of religion.”