Public organization demands exchange of UOC Primate for Ukrainian prisoners of war

The public organization “Olenivka Community,” which includes relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war, has published a statement calling for the exchange of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, for Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen who are being held captive by Russia. The organization believes that the deprivation of citizenship of the Primate of the UOC “opens up the possibility for his exchange.” The statement was published on the organization’s Facebook account.

«The Security Service of Ukraine announced the deprivation of Ukrainian citizenship of Onufriy. This decision opens up the possibility of his exchange or indicates preparations for such a step. A year ago, the public organization “Olenivka Community” proposed exchanging representatives of the so-called “Moscow Church” for wounded Ukrainian prisoners of war who survived the terrorist attack in Olenivka. We call on the negotiating team and Ukrainian special services to carry out this sacred mission — to return all those wounded in the terrorist attack in Olenivka from captivity before the third anniversary of the tragedy,» — the statement said.

It should be noted that in May 2024, the public organization “Olenivka Community” made a similar demand regarding the governor of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel.