Zelensky deprived the citizenship of Ukraine of the Primate of the UOC Metropolitan Onufry

Today (02/07/2025) Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree on deprivation of Ukrainian citizenship Metropolitan of Kyiv OnufryPrimate Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Security Service of Ukraine claims that Orest Berezovsky (Onufry) Voluntarily accepted Russian citizenship in 2002. According to the statements Security Services of Ukraine, Berezovsky (Onufry) Supports contacts with Patriarchate of Moscow And “purposefully counteracts the canonical independence of the Ukrainian church from the Patriarchate of Moscow.”

“The Metropolitan continues to support the policy of the Russian Orthodox Church and its leadership, in particular the Patriarch of Moscow Kirill.”.

In addition, the same statement notes that “Cyril blessed the armed attack of the Russian troops and pursues a propaganda policy of justification and inciting the genocide of the Ukrainian people”.

Information about Russian citizenship of the Metropolitan of the UOC -Onufry appeared in 2023. Then the media wrote that Onufry and more than 20 clergymen of the UOC supposedly have Russian citizenship.

Onufry confirmedthat he has previously There was Russian citizenshipbut said that already Refused him. According to the metropolitan, he received a passport of the Russian Federation automatically, since at the time of the collapse of the USSR was registered in the Russian Federation, where he received a spiritual education.

“At this time, the Soviet Union broke up, and I, before that, a de facto citizen of Russia (because I had a constant registration in Russia, and this meant citizenship in the modern sense), took the Ukrainian passport. At the same time, Russian citizenship was automatically extended, but I was not interested in them, it did not matter for it, and no one pursued for this. There were good brotherly relations between Ukraine and Russia. When these relations began to deteriorate in the last ten years, I have refused Russian passports. – said Onufry in 2023.

Metropolitan Onufry has no other passports except Ukrainian, said the representative of the UOC Metropolitan Clement: “The blessed Metropolitan Onufry explained that only a passport of a citizen of Ukraine and, besides Ukrainian, has no other passports, including the Russian Federation. He already explained that he had never contacted state bodies of other countries with a request to obtain other citizenship. ”

July 2, Judah's Memorial Day, but not Skariot … Ukrainian political scientist Konstantin Bondarenko Commented The news of the signing of the decree on the deprivation of Ukrainian citizenship of the Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry June 2 The following words: “Vladimir Alexandrovich! Your advisers set you slightly. You have timed your decree the wrong date. Today, the Orthodox Church really honors the memory of the Apostle Judas of Iakovlev, the brother of the Lord. But This is another Judas, not a sniffer, not your patron saintto whom you are equal and which you are going to surpass in everything “.

He recalled that after the president’s election Zelensky “signed in deep respect (Metropolitan – Ed.) And even declared his intention to accept Orthodoxy.”

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