Religious scholar Yuriy Chernomorets, in an interview with the DF, answered, in particular, the question of what the Ukrainian state needs to do in order to achieve the unity of the Orthodox in Ukraine.

“We need not unity, but a break between the UOC and Moscow,” Chernomorets said.

He added that, “ideally, a bill submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers should be adopted, where any unity with Moscow is prohibited, including hidden, affiliated, symbolic, and already, based on such a ban, then the UOC would have to look for own way of existence, and, accordingly, the state could help if it was necessary.

“I want to emphasize that as a person, as a religious scholar, as a believer, I am for unity not necessarily being the goal. The main thing is a break with Moscow, because to have unity with Moscow is a crime today,” the religious scholar said.