OCU militants in Chernivtsi “didn’t finish their job,” Poroshenko complains

Poroshenko in Chernivtsi. Photo: Poroshenko’s YouTube channel

On July 4, 2025, Petro Poroshenko, during a meeting with the youth of Bukovyna, rebuked the OCU and residents of Chernivtsi for “not finishing the job” during the attempted seizure of the Holy Spirit Cathedral of the UOC on June 17, 2025.

“If the community voted to transfer the church to the OCU but people didn’t show up, nothing will happen. The police and the regional administration won’t solve this. It’s not a matter for the police. On the contrary, using the police only plays into the hands of the Russians, making it look like our church is propped up by police force. That’s wrong,” said Poroshenko.

According to him, the failure to seize the UOC cathedral “means one thing: the church – God forgive me – didn’t finish the job, and Ukrainian patriots didn’t finish the job.”

“If it makes you feel better, Poroshenko also didn’t finish the job, even though I didn’t know about that incident. Next time, invite me – I’ll come, and we’ll go together – not to fight, but to pray. And God will help us,” Poroshenko urged.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Poroshenko had said UOC communities that do not re-register under the OCU should be deported to Russia.

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