Aleksey Arestovich, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, on the air of the FeyginLIVE YouTube channel, stated that the UOC should be treated according to the principle of “do no harm”.

“On the one hand, we must be protected, on the other hand, harming the feelings of believers now is not the best solution.  Therefore, we will act carefully, as a strong democratic country.  In Ukraine, they don’t punish for views, they punish only for actions, and actions must be proven,” Arestovich said.

“I don’t think that the UOC should be broken on the knee, especially since there are absolutely crystal-clear people among the priests.  Let me remind you that Metropolitan Onufry condemned the invasion on the very first day, at seven o’clock in the morning, when it was not at all clear whether he would be asked very severely for this condemnation in a few hours, ”the politician recalled.

Arestovich added that direct agents in the UOC, in his opinion, are undoubtedly present, and the task of the SBU is to figure it out.

“But indiscriminately writing down people as traitors just because they have a family tradition to go to this Church, I would not.  Moreover, many parishioners of the UOC are now fighting with weapons in their hands.  Therefore, despite the war, despite the deep hatred that has accumulated over the centuries, there is no need to rush.  It is necessary to carefully “give all the sisters earrings”: who is a traitor, who works for Russia, if this is proven, punish them according to the law.  Whoever is an honest person should gradually understand that Ukraine needs an independent Church, without the prefix “Moscow,” summed up the adviser to the head of the OP of Ukraine.