Ukrainian ombudsman says the Church is not persecuted in the country

The Ukrainian parliamentary commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, has categorically denied the statements about religious persecution in Ukraine, calling them «outright lies». He emphasized that these claims were «part of a coordinated information campaign aimed at discrediting Ukraine» and international religious authorities, while systematic violations of freedom of conscience are recorded in the temporarily occupied territories.

Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets drew special attention to two interrelated documents: «Report of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service» dated January 12, 2026 and «Statement of the Churches — participants of the Christian Interfaith Consultative Committee» dated January 15, 2026. He noted that the appearance of the Committee’s statement immediately after the publication of the SVR RF material, as well as the coincidence of key theses, testify to the close interaction of Russian state structures with religious associations under their control.

Dmytro Lubinets emphasized that Ukraine ensures freedom of conscience and religion at the legislative and practical levels. In his turn, the ombudsman called the statements of the Russian mass media about religious persecution in Ukraine «blatant lies».

Lubinets said he would continue to monitor the situation and inform Ukrainian society and the international community about violations of freedom of conscience and human rights during the armed aggression. «The world should know the truth and not allow the Russian Federation to justify its crimes by religion,» — emphasized the Commissioner.

We shall remind you that earlier political analyst Kostyantyn Bondarenko said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and others involved in the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) would have to answer to the United States.