«Hate speech» and forfeiture-aimed legal actions in resolutions of the state authorities The Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra

A case which illustrates the attitude of the government to the religious denomination of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is that representatives of the elective state body – Ternopil Regional Council – who are supposed to act ethically and within the legislation took the liberty to openly defame the denomination of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church having blamed a centuries-old religious sanctity of the Ukrainian people – the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra – in antinational activity. In particular, the state body approved by deputies’ voting the following theses: “The Kremlin invaders are interested, like never before, in splitting Ukraine and destroying its territorial integrity. For they feel uneasy when they watch Ukrainians become the nation of courageous and brave people. In order to further undermine our society the occupants create and activate “fifth columns” to serve the neighbouring state. The Pochaiv Lavra of Holy Dormition, one of the spiritual sanctities of the Ukrainian people, is being intentionally transformed into the focal centre of anti-Ukrainian activity and interreligious conflict. Under the “canonical” guise of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate it actually intends to russify the Ukrainian population assisting the invaders”.