Dumenko: Residents of de-occupied territories are not interested in OCU

The head of the OCU, Epifaniy Dumenko. Photo: nv.ua

Metropolitan Epifaniy Dumenko said that the process of the return of the OCU to the de-occupied territories was difficult because almost the entire pro-Ukrainian population had left there.

He explained the reluctance of the residents of the liberated territories to visit the parishes of the OCU by the Russian propaganda to which people had been subjected.

Dumenko also noted that many priests of the OCU are afraid to return to the frontline territories because of frequent shelling.

"Our parish existed there for 10-15 years, and now one of our priests says, for example, that there are no parishioners at all. Of course, this is a parish almost somewhere on the border with the Russian Federation, but this priest has no one to serve now," he told the New Voice.

As reported, the head of the OCU said that his plans include claims to the Kyiv-Pechersk and Pochaiv Lavras.

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