Kiev, February 2, 2026
Photo: Youth Department of the Odessa Diocese of the UOC
Ukrainian MP Solomia Bobrovska has expressed concern that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church continues to attract large numbers of young people despite ongoing efforts to discredit it.
Speaking on Espreso.TV on January 30, Bobrovska voiced alarm that UOC events draw huge crowds, according to the Information and Education Department of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Her comments came after the UOC’s Rivne Diocese held its 8th Christmas charity festival on January 23 at the Tekstylnyk cultural center in Rivne. The event, dedicated to the Nativity of Christ and raising funds for children with cancer, filled the hall with attendees including large numbers of young people both performing and attending.
Bobrovska described the festival’s success as a “failure” on the part of other religious organizations and the state. “There are a lot of young people there and work is being done with them,” the MP stated, effectively acknowledging that despite years of discreditation campaigns, youth continue choosing the Orthodox Church.
While the UOC notes that officials and representatives of other confessions are trying to understand the reasons for a “crisis of trust” in their initiatives, the UOC continues uniting a significant portion of society for good works and Ukraine’s benefit.
The UOC’s Information and Education Department characterized such statements as examples of media figures and government representatives calling for radical steps and attempting to divide society during the ongoing war, rather than addressing urgent problems and respecting citizens’ constitutional right to freedom of religion.
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