Verkhovna Rada deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak said that Ukraine proposed to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) of the Moscow Patriarchate. He announced this in his Telegram channel.

“The Moscow Patriarchy will finally be banned in Ukraine! The Humanitarian Policy Committee at its meeting has just recommended the relevant draft law,” the Ukrainian MP wrote. According to Zheleznyak, he supports such decisions.

In November, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) conducted searches in the buildings of the UOC. The Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Koretsky Holy Trinity Monastery and the premises of the Sarnensko-Polesye diocese fell under the relevant measures. It was reported that "pro-Russian literature" was found there, which was used during training at the seminary.

In addition, the SBU suspected the rector of the Pochaev Theological Seminary of the UOC, Archbishop Job of Shumsky, of inciting religious hatred and "anti-Ukrainian activities." A UOC priest was also sentenced to 12 years in prison. According to the SBU, he allegedly transmitted data on the positions of the Ukrainian army in the city of Lysichansk.