Close to the Phanar website orthodoxtimes published the comment of the “archbishop” of the OCU Yevstratiy Zorya about the attack on the procession of the UOC in Nizhyn. According to the “archbishop”, the OCU was not involved in the attack on the traditional annual procession of Ukrainian believers, but he “went to Nizhyn to find out what happened.”

According to Zorya, the attack by representatives of “patriotic organizations” on the peaceful procession is “part of Moscow’s provocation.”

“The initial decision of the Moscow Patriarchate contained the element of provocation as they decided to go through that point, while they had various alternatives, knowing that there is a serious risk of creating tension.