The mayor of Cherkasy Anatoly Bondarenko said in his video message that there will be “no Moscow priests” in the city and everyone will pray only in Ukrainian. He also answered the people’s question “why the city authorities are delaying the transition of our churches under the jurisdiction of our state, under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian faith.”

The mayor replied that he “often communicated with the late Bishop Sofroniy,” and expressed confidence that “if Bishop Sofroniy had been here, the Church would have long since passed, the whole diocese would have moved.”

“They (the UOC – Ed.) are engaged in preserving their so-called parishes. I personally appeal to Burkatsky. Battalion “Perlyna” will clean your Moscow evil spirits from the city of Cherkasy to the last. And you know – I stood aside from this topic. But from today I take on the obligation to lead this topic against you – against Moscow agents who have settled here and, hiding behind cassocks, are collecting money from our citizens, ”Bondarenko said.

Bondarenko also said that he has documents that allegedly testify to “the illegal construction of half of the temples of the UOC”, and the other half of the temples, according to him, “do not have any permits for these buildings.” At the same time, he recalled that Bishop Sofroniy built these temples.

“Get ready – there will be no Moscow priests in Cherkasy, in Cherkasy they will pray in Ukrainian,” the mayor summed up.