---
title: "57% of Ukrainians Support Ban on UOC MP: New Poll Data and Metropolitan Onufriy's Status"
description: "More than half of Ukrainians (57%) support a ban on the UOC MP due to ties with the ROC. Sanctions against Metropolitan Onufriy are approved by almost 70% of citizens. The SBU confirmed the head of the church has had a Russian passport since 2002 and deprived him of Ukrainian citizenship. 🇺🇦⛪🚫"
date: 2026-06-03T10:16:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/57-ukrainians-support-ban-on-uoc-mp-new-poll-data-and-metropolitan-onufriys-status
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# 57% of Ukrainians Support Ban on UOC MP: New Poll Data and Metropolitan Onufriy's Status

![Metropolitan Onufriy in liturgical vestments during a church service, with candles and believers in the background.](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/03/57-ukraincev-za-zapret-upc-mp-opyt-rating-group/57-ukraincev-za-zapret-upc-mp-opyt-rating-group-1.webp)

In Ukraine, a public debate is gaining momentum regarding the future of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP). Fresh sociological data shows that the majority of the country's citizens lean towards radical measures against the religious structure that maintains ties with Russia.

### Poll Results: Public Opinion Against Ties with the ROC

The sociological group Rating Group presented the results of a large-scale study that sheds light on the population's attitude towards the church issue. As reported by the co-founder and CEO of the company, Alexey Antipovich, 57% of polled Ukrainians support the idea of a complete ban on the activities of the UOC MP. The main argument is the existence of ties between this structure and the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).

However, within the UOC MP community itself, the mood is different. According to the same data, 47% of church representatives do not agree with the idea of banning their organization. This discrepancy demonstrates a deep rift between the position of believers identifying with the Moscow Patriarchate and the position of the wider Ukrainian society.

### Sanctions Against the Primate: Almost 70% in Favor

Even stricter sentiments are observed regarding the personal status of the head of the church. The poll showed that almost 70% of Ukrainians support the introduction of sanctions against the primate of the UOC MP, Metropolitan Onufriy.

At the same time, internal church support for his position remains significant: about 30% of UOC MP representatives oppose the introduction of sanctions against their metropolitan.

### Legal Context: Affiliation and Courts

The growth of public support for a ban is taking place against the backdrop of official state actions. Last year, the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (GESS) established that the Kyiv Metropolitanate of the UOC MP retains signs of affiliation with the ROC. Despite public statements of independence, factual ties were confirmed.

Given that the activities of the ROC in Ukraine are banned, GESS filed a lawsuit in court to cease the activities of the Kyiv Metropolitanate. This became part of the systematic work to sever ties with Russian religious structures.

### Metropolitan Onufriy's Citizenship: Documents and Facts

The situation surrounding the person of Metropolitan Onufriy received resonant development in 2025. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) officially reported the deprivation of his Ukrainian citizenship. The basis for this was the possession of a Russian Federation passport by the religious leader.

According to law enforcement agencies, the document was obtained as early as 2002. The publication RBK-Ukraine has already published a photograph of the metropolitan's Russian passport, confirming the special services' information about dual citizenship or the possession of a Russian passport by the head of the church operating on the territory of Ukraine.