“UOC are enemies of Ukraine” - head of Donetsk diocese of OCU

The head of the Donetsk diocese of the OCU, Sergei Gorobtsov, called the clergy and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church “enemies of Ukraine” and called for a decisive struggle against the canonical Church. Gorobtsov said that the UOC threatens the “national security of Ukraine” and, in his opinion, should “disappear like dew in the sun.” He wrote about this on his Facebook page.

“The Moscow Patriarchate is not just a religious organization. It is an instrument of Russian aggression that tries to undermine our spiritual and moral foundations. It is an enemy of Ukraine that continues to support the Kremlin’s sinister narratives, helping them to carry out subversive activities. The MP is not only a threat to our state, but also to each of us, because through it the aggressor is able to influence the minds and undermine national unity. We must act decisively and civilized. Like any enemy that threatens our independence and security, the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine must be neutralized. And this must happen in a quick, effective and civilized way, in accordance with the legal norms that protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Our enemies will perish like dew in the sun! We will survive, and no enemy will overcome our independence and free spirit. The Ukrainian Autocephalous Church, the Ukrainian language, national unity and spiritual independence are our path to victory! Glory to Ukraine!”, – Gorobtsov wrote.

Earlier, Ukrainian religious scholar Alexander Brodetsky said that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, unlike the OCU, has propaganda. Brodetsky said that if “representatives of the UOC say that we are not a Russian church, we were not, then this is manipulation and propaganda aimed at presenting the situation differently than it really is.” In turn, in his opinion, the OCU says “gospel things” during sermons.