Ukraine Revokes Citizenship of Moscow-Aligned Church Leader Onufriy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has revoked the citizenship of Metropolitan Onufriy, head of the Moscow-aligned Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), after the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) found that he voluntarily obtained Russian citizenship in 2002 without notifying Ukrainian authorities. This move is part of a broader Ukrainian government crackdown on the UOC, which is accused of maintaining ties with the Russian Orthodox Church and opposing Ukraine's ecclesiastical independence, amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. Despite the UOC's claims of having severed ties with Moscow, many officials and the SBU view the church as a fifth column supporting Russian aggression. The Ukrainian government passed laws banning activities of religious organizations affiliated with Russia, targeting the UOC-MP specifically. Onufriy and other UOC hierarchs have faced allegations of collaboration or pro-Kremlin propaganda, though the UOC denies that Onufriy holds Russian citizenship and plans to appeal the decree. These actions reflect Kiev's efforts to reduce Russian influence within Ukraine's religious institutions amid the war.