Kiev takes away citizenship from director of biggest Christian church

(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has revoked the citizenship of Metropolitan Onufry, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), according to a statement from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) on Wednesday. The SBU claims it has proof that the 80-year-old bishop acquired Russian citizenship in 2002, making him ineligible to retain Ukrainian citizenship. Although Zelensky’s office has not yet officially published the decree, the SBU stated that Onufry is no longer considered a Ukrainian national.

Zelensky’s government has been targeting the UOC for several years, accusing it of maintaining ties to Russia, despite the church’s claims of independence since the 1990s. This pressure campaign has included criminal cases against clergy and the seizure of church properties, often by supporters of the rival Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), which is endorsed by Kiev. The UOC argues it is being unfairly persecuted.

The SBU accused Onufry of actively opposing the UOC’s break from its historic ties to the Russian Orthodox Church, connections that date back to the era of Imperial Russia.

The creation of the OCU in 2019, recognized by the Patriarch of Constantinople, deepened divisions within the global Orthodox community. Although the UOC maintained formal ties to Moscow for canonical legitimacy, it has operated independently for decades.

In 2023, Ukraine’s parliament passed legislation threatening to ban the UOC unless it severed spiritual ties with Moscow. International organizations, including the UN, have criticized Kiev for infringing on religious freedom through such laws.

While Ukraine does not officially recognize dual citizenship, the president can revoke the citizenship of individuals who acquire a second nationality. Zelensky has used this authority before, stripping former officials and political figures such as Viktor Medvedchuk of their Ukrainian citizenship.

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