Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a decree revoking the citizenship of Metropolitan Onufriy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, known in secular life as Orest Berezovsky. This decision was made based on evidence provided by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), reports the Baltimore Chronicle with reference to the SBU.
According to the Security Service, Berezovsky voluntarily obtained Russian citizenship in 2002 but failed to inform the competent Ukrainian authorities. Despite this, he continued to exercise the rights of a Ukrainian citizen.
The SBU also claims that Metropolitan Onufriy has maintained ties with the Moscow Patriarchate and deliberately opposed the efforts to gain canonical independence for the Ukrainian church.
The agency further emphasized that the Russian Orthodox Church, with which Metropolitan Onufriy is affiliated, supports Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Earlier we wrote about more Ukrainians for one Orthodox Church: what are the options for unification and who can be separated.