The UGCC is concerned about the development of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Western Europe

Representatives of the UGCC are extremely concerned about the development of parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Western Europe. In particular, Taras Antoshevskyy, editor-in-chief of the Uniate publication RISU, claims that UOC clergymen abroad, under the guise of developing parishes, cooperate «with agents» in order to further influence Ukrainians in the diaspora. He said in an interview with Channel 5.

«These parishes in Western Europe — you should be interested in what they do there. They cooperate with quite well-known in agency circles people. Allegedly they provide those refugees with assistance. What are these parishes for? To take care of those people. And banally, when it comes to negotiation issues or elections, these parishes can be the best means of influencing all those people who are there, » said Antoshevsky.

At the same time, the editor-in-chief of RISU, a publication repeatedly noted for spreading propaganda and inciting hostility against the UOC, complained that Ukrainian security services «do not react» to the activities of the canonical Church «properly.»

«I have heard from colleagues who identify the activities of the Moscow patriarchate in Ukraine, when the obvious facts of activity indicate propaganda, and the relevant services do not react,» he added.

Earlier, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Sviatoslav Shevchuk , said that most of the UGCC structures, including dioceses and exarchates, were located outside Ukraine. He emphasized the unique position of the UGCC as «a global network uniting the world Ukrainian community and acting as the voice of Ukrainian society in the international arena».