DESS submits conclusion based on Russian, not Ukrainian, documents, - Metropolitan Clement

The head of the Synodal Information and Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Klyment (Vecheria), commented on the decision published the day before by the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience on recognizing signs of affiliation of the UOC with the Moscow Patriarchate. The hierarch once again emphasized that the decision was made on the basis of Russian, not Ukrainian, documents concerning the UOC. He spoke about this in a comment to Strana.ua.

«The Kyiv Metropolis has repeatedly stated that what DESS officials called an expert review of the UOC charter is not actually such. A court case is currently underway regarding the religious center’s complaint against the actions of officials, demanding that they be declared invalid. The document itself, which the DESS ordered to be drawn up, as well as its orders, are not grounds for considering the religious community liquidated. Such issues must be resolved by the court. Since the DESS submits to the court a conclusion based on Russian, not Ukrainian, documents, there is reason to believe that the authors of this conclusion will not only be unable to prove its legitimacy, but will also be required to answer for attempting to legalize the documents of a Russian organization that is banned in Ukraine. After all, it was in this strange and criminal way that the DESS came up with repressions against the UOC and millions of its believers,» — said Metropolitan Clement.

We recall that on August 27, 2025, the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience decided to recognize the Kyiv Metropolis of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as “affiliated with a foreign religious organization whose activities are prohibited in Ukraine.”