Ukraine: KIIS director: 60% of Ukrainians support banning UOC

The majority of Ukrainians support a ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Anton Hrushetskyi, the executive director of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), discussed the topic in an interview with OBOZ.UA. "Certain markers of identity remain, with most people recognizing the UOC's affiliation with Russia. However, the situation is more complex. When asked about state policy towards the UOC, over half of Ukrainians — around 60% — believe it should be completely banned. About 15-20% think that state supervision should be established over the Church, while approximately 15% believe that only specific cases against individual offenders within the Church should be investigated," he notes.

Hrushetskyi also commented on the inclusion of such issues in peace agreements: "The way this is articulated is crucial. If we are discussing a general framework where any religion that does not harm state interests and is not subversive — or connected to a foreign intelligence service — should be freely practiced in Ukraine, the majority of Ukrainians might agree with that formulation.

However, if we talk about granting a privileged status to the UOC, it would likely cross a red line for most people. Similar to language issues, this could be perceived as an encroachment on Ukraine's sovereignty. People are very sensitive about Ukraine maintaining its independence in making decisions regarding alliances, language, and cultural policy. For example, while we might not want to join NATO, that choice should be ours to make, not something imposed upon us. The same principles apply to language and religion," Hrushetskyi added. (Quelle: www.risu.ua, 9. September 2025)