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Ukrainian Orthodox Church banned in city near Kiev

It was added that the restrictions would be in effect throughout martial law in Ukraine

KIEV, May 6. /TASS/. The city council of Brovary, Kiev’s largest satellite city, has suspended the activity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in its territory, Mayor Igor Sapozhko said on Friday.

"A session of the Brovary city council has decided to suspend the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in the territory of the community. It means that real estate of church parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate will be placed under guard and special requirements for their work will be introduced. Meetings, rallies, processions and all other mass gatherings will be banned," he wrote on his Telegram channel.

The city mayor added that the restrictions would be in effect throughout martial law in Ukraine.

Earlier, Konotop Mayor Artem Semenikhin ruled that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church should be banned in the city. He accused the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of "pro-Russian propaganda" in churches and of "splitting Ukrainian society."

In March, the Ukrainian government registered several bills on banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk announced in late April that the bills would not be considered while martial law was in effect in the country. However, he promised to "later handle" the issue of banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.