Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a decree revoking the citizenship of Metropolitan Onufriy (born Orest Berezovskyy), head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate, according to Ukraine's Security Service (SBU).
Authorities allege the clergyman acquired Russian citizenship in 2002 without informing Ukrainian officials. The SBU further accuses Onufriy of maintaining close ties with the Moscow Patriarchate and actively resisting efforts to establish the Ukrainian church's independence from Moscow, whose leadership has openly backed Russia's war against Ukraine.
"Even after the full-scale invasion began, Berezovskiy (Onufriy) has effectively endorsed the Russian Orthodox Church's stance, including the position of Patriarch Kirill," the SBU stated.
However, Metropolitan Kliment, spokesperson for the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church, told Suspilne that Onufriy holds only Ukrainian citizenship and has never sought passports from other countries, including Russia.
Kliment called the citizenship revocation legally questionable, adding that Onufriy plans to challenge Zelensky's decree in court to protect his rights as a Ukrainian citizen.