82% of Ukrainians don’t trust Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate, 63% want it banned
83% of Ukrainians believe that the state has to interfere with the activity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP). Specifically, 63% of respondents stated that this church must be completely banned in Ukraine (54% expressed this opinion in December 2022, 85% in May 2023).
Source: survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, commissioned by the public organisation Centre of Strategic Communications Forum
Details: Another 20% Ukrainians are in favour of a "softer" approach, which does not involve a complete ban, but the establishment of state control and supervision.
At the same time, in the opinion of 12% of respondents, nothing should be done and the affairs of the UOC-MP should not be interfered with, but only certain possible cases of offences should be investigated (12% in December 2022 as well, 6% in May 2023).
In all regions of Ukraine, the majority of the population (from 76% in the east to 85% in the west and 86% in the centre) are in favour of a proactive state position regarding the activities of the UOC-MP.
69% of surveyed residents of western Ukraine and 68% of participants from the centre of Ukraine are in favour of a complete ban of the UOC-MP. There are fewer people with this position in the south and east (55% and 46% correspondingly).
82% of Ukrainians stated they do not trust the UOC-MP (from 73% in the east to 88% in the west of Ukraine). Only 8% trust the Russian-connected church, and another 11% were undecided.
Anton Hrushetskyi, the acting head of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, believes that UOC-MP is engaging in activity which makes it look like the fifth column of the Kremlin.
"Obviously, the Church is unable to convince Ukrainians that it is supposedly no longer dependent on the leadership of the Moscow Patriarchate and stands on pro-Ukrainian positions," he commented on the results of the survey.
Hrushetskyi also thinks that security actions regarding representatives of the church must be accompanied by enhanced communication, especially with the Western partners, because Russia is trying to discredit Ukraine abroad for the alleged "persecution of Christians".
The survey was conducted during 20-25 April, 2024, by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS). By order of the public organisation Centre for Strategic Communications Forum, questions were added about trust in the UOC-MP and what the government’s policy concerning the church should entail.
A total 1,220 respondents aged 18 and older and living in all Ukraine-controlled regions of Ukraine were interviewed in the conduction of the survey.
Background:
- There are still more than 8,000 churches of UOC-MP in Ukraine yet only 22 of them directly indicate their affiliation.
- Back in 2022 the Constitutional Court recognised the law obliging the UOC-MP to indicate its affiliation with Russia as constitutional.
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