UOC-MP acolyte Poroshenko went against his own: recognized the Moscow Patriarchate as part of the Russian Orthodox Church, although he built his career on this church - expert

Petro Poroshenko's statement about the need to ban the UOC-MP contradicts his own position: the politician himself was connected with the Moscow Patriarchate for many years – he served as an acolyte and was a generous patron of the Moscow church, and now, in fact, he has spoken out against his own. Political expert Petro Oleschuk wrote about this.

"The servant of the Moscow Patriarchate, Petro Poroshenko, felt a good political moment and openly spoke out against his own. He came out with an unexpected statement: "The UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate must be recognized for what it really is – a structure of the Russian Orthodox Church that acts in the interests of the aggressor country." How can one not recall the proverb that the loudest to cry "catch the thief!" is the thief himself," notes Petro Oleschuk.

According to him, Poroshenko advanced his political career thanks to his affiliation with the UOC-MP.

"Both Yanukovych and Azarov – Poroshenko's former leaders (he worked as a minister in their governments) – pretended to be deeply religious people, befriended the chief priest of Muscovy, Kirill, and collected icons. Therefore, Poroshenko served in the Moscow church for his personal career. In his archives there are joint photos with the leaders of the MP, and on the Internet – images where he is in church attire carrying an icon. This once again proves that for Poroshenko, faith has always been an instrument of political career," writes Oleschuk.

The expert also recalled the story with Vadym Novinsky – a well-known lobbyist of the Moscow Patriarchate, who received a Ukrainian passport at Poroshenko's request. In the document published by the expert, Petro Poroshenko addresses then-President Yanukovych and asks to grant Novinsky Ukrainian citizenship. At the same time, the politician lists the merits of this Russian oligarch before Ukraine, which consist in the restoration of temples of the Moscow Patriarchate.

"Why did Petro Poroshenko openly serve Russian priests? Because faith for him is just part of the election slogan - along with the "army" that was plundered with Svynarchuks and the "language" that is only Ukrainian for Petro Oleksiyovych in front of the cameras, and Russian at all other times. This is the kind of hybrid "ArMoVir" that comes out," Oleschuk summarized.

It should be recalled that, according to media reports, Poroshenko conducted business in the Russian Federation even after the annexation of Crimea. Poroshenko is also suspected of state conspiracy with the Russian Federation and militants of the "L/DPR" during hostilities in 2014-2015 for the purchase of coal in the occupied Donbas. He directly gave instructions to negotiate with Putin. During the same period, a conversation was published on the Internet during which Poroshenko told Putin "I shake your hand! I embrace you!".