“Not for the UOC”: The DESS confirmed the discriminatory rule on deferral from mobilization for religious figures

The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience has published an explanation of the rule previously introduced by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine regarding deferment from mobilization for heads of religious organizations registered in Ukraine. As previously reported, the list of religious organizations whose heads and representatives are eligible for deferral from mobilization into the Armed Forces of Ukraine includes 7,726 legal entities, among which there are no parishes, monasteries, or other institutions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This information is published on the website of the State Service.

It is reported that most of the religious organizations not included in the List are those that:

• are not included in the Register of Non-Profit Institutions and Organizations maintained by the State Tax Service of Ukraine;
• have not submitted an annual report on the use of income (profit) of a non-profit organization for the previous tax period by March 1, 2025.

The State Service also published recommendations for organizations not included in the List. According to the DESS, attention should be paid immediately to the timely submission of reports, as well as to find out from the State Tax Service of Ukraine or its territorial bodies the reasons for not taking into account the information submitted.

In addition, due to the large number of critically important religious organizations, the reservation process is carried out in two stages:

1. Reservations are made for clergy leaders (one from each organization), information about whom is available in the Unified State Register (USR);
2. This applies to all other clergy who are employed in relevant positions in critically important religious organizations included in the List.

The DESS reported that it is currently working on approving the final list of documents for reserving clergymen who are subject to military service, who have labor relations with a religious organization and perform religious, ritual, ceremonial, or preaching functions. Once this work is complete, all necessary information will be published on the institution’s official website.

We remind you that on June 14, 2025, in Sarny (Rivne region), employees of the Territorial Recruitment Center subjected Deacon Maxim Guzenko, a cleric of the local Holy Protection Cathedral of the Sarny Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, to forced mobilization.