“Right Sector” in Kiev region inflames religious strife

In Peregonovka village of Obuhov district, Kiev region “Right Sector” activists distribute leaflets, calling the UOC community to pass to the Kiev Patriarchate.

In Facebook social network radicals have already unleashed hate campaign against the local priest of the UOC, having accused him of “his agreement to give honey to ATO soldiers only at risk of burning down his bee yard.”

Besides, the activists believe the UOC church was built illegally in Peregonovka village. Nationalists are supported by some district deputies. In the experts’ opinion, this is a common scenario running up to a takeover of the UOC temple and there may be soon raised an issue of re-registration of the community’s charter.

“I’ve read this slander about myself in the press, tells senior priest of the village temple in the honor of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God Archpriest Alexandr Boyarchuk. – I requested the chief of our village council to find out who stands behind this falsehood. She promised this issue would be discussed by all means at the council session. At the same time she assured me she would do her best to prevent incitement of inter-faith hatred in the village, and the issue of re-registration of the charter as well as an illegal status of the UOC community won’t be put forward at the session. Of course, our community is distressed by such assaults and this lie altogether. Perhaps, those who stand behind the scenes ‘put forth a feeler’ to check how much it is possible to erode the situation in the village.”