The Russian Orthodox Church called the decision to deprive the head of the UOC of citizenship a harsh political act.

The deprivation of Metropolitan Onufry of Ukrainian citizenship is a harsh political act aimed at exerting pressure on the entire flock of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). This was announced on Wednesday, July 2, by Vladimir Legoyda, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church-Society Relations and the Media of the Moscow Patriarchate.

"The deprivation of Metropolitan Onufriy's citizenship is not just a legal measure directed against a citizen of Ukraine. This is a harsh political act aimed at exerting pressure not on one person, but on the entire flock of millions of the Ukrainian Church," he wrote on the Telegram channel.

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Metropolitan Onufriy of the UOC was stripped of his citizenship earlier in the day. According to the Security Service of Ukraine, Onufriy supports the policies of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), as well as Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Later, the representative of the UOC, Metropolitan Kliment, said that Onufriy intends to appeal the decision of the Ukrainian authorities.