The Security Service continues to investigate the activities of the UOC-MP not only in Ukraine but also abroad. Thus, in a conversation with LB.ua on Sunday in Kyiv, the head of the Security Service, Vasyl Malyuk, noted that sanctions against the UOC-MP have already been implemented in the European Union, but the work continues.
"The sanctions have been implemented in Europe, here. But this work continues. In particular, the Czech Republic is the initiator. And we worked together with our Czech colleagues. I am continuing this work. This is indeed a top priority. At the same time, we remain faithful to the principle of freedom of conscience and religion. There can be no question about it. ...If the “ears” of the Russian special services are there, we will work... " Malyuk said.
He said this when commenting on the information that the latest sanctions imposed by the National Security and Defence Council against a number of individuals were imposed - according to the editorial board - including in connection with the revealed facts of their financing of NGOs in the EU that pursue anti-Ukrainian policies and are associated with Russians. This includes religious communities (it is known that more than a hundred new branches of the UOC-MP have been established in the EU recently. The creation of such centres of the OCU is prohibited under the Tomos - ed.)
"As soon as there are sufficient grounds, we will implement it," Malyuk stressed, speaking about whether such work could become the basis for the introduction of new sanctions by the National Security and Defence Council.
- In August 2024, the Verkhovna Rada banned the activities of the UOC-MP. The decision was made without discussion. The draft law was voted in favour by 269 MPs, two more than those who supported it in the first reading. The absolute majority of Ukrainians - 80% - supported the adoption of this law.
- According to the State Ethnic Policy, since 2018, 1,500 religious communities have moved from the UOC to the OCU.