Mykola Pidvezianyi

Mykola Pidvezianyi

Editor-in-Chief of "Hlavkom" since 2012

Mykola Pidvezianyi, using his professional position, participated in a hate campaign against UOC believers and clergy.

The editor-in-chief of the outlet employed hate rhetoric and disseminated false information about Orthodox Christians. Since the start of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, Pidvezianyi has spread materials defaming the Church and inciting reprisals against believers.

On December 23, 2019, an interview authored by Pidvezianyi was published on the "Hlavkom" website, in which the editor-in-chief deliberately distorted the official name of the UOC.

"During the approval of the interview, representatives of the UOC MP insisted that the text refer to this religious organization as the UOC, despite the fact that in the Ministry of Justice's registration documents this abbreviation is now assigned to the newly formed local Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

To avoid confusion and for the convenience of readers, the newly formed church is referred to in the interview text as the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), while the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in unity with the Moscow Patriarchate is referred to as the UOC or UOC MP," the article states.

Pidvezianyi deliberately distorted the name of the Church in order to incite hatred against the UOC.

(Source: "Hlavkom")

On February 25, 2022, an article authored by Pidvezianyi was published on the "Hlavkom" website, in which a UOC priest was falsely accused of working for the Russian Armed Forces.

The very headline of the article — "Saboteur detained near Hostomel turned out to be a UOC MP archpriest" — contained false information.

The editor-in-chief of "Hlavkom" published information that defamed the honor and dignity of UOC Archpriest Mykhailo Pavlushenko.

Pidvezianyi accused the clergyman of carrying out sabotage activities.

On the same day, the situation surrounding the priest's detention was commented on by Archpriest Vitaliy Boyko. The detained Father Mykhailo lives in a suburb of Kyiv, not far from Hostomel, where a helicopter crashed that day, falling into a field near the clergyman's home. The priest was therefore the first to arrive at the crash site, where he was detained by law enforcement officers.

"Father Mykhailo is the rector of the church in honor of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious at the Ministry of Internal Affairs hospital. Even though his documents were in his car, right nearby, the priest was called a Russian saboteur and arrested," said Archpriest Vitaliy Boyko. "From the window of his home he saw the helicopter falling and rushed to find out whether his help was needed."

The priest was arrested and taken to a police station, but the law enforcement officers sorted out the situation and on the morning of February 25 Father Mykhailo was released and sent home.

Nevertheless, despite the de facto refutation of the information, "Hlavkom" left its article unchanged.

(Source: "Hlavkom")

On March 7, 2022, an article authored by Pidvezianyi was published on the "Hlavkom" website, in which the editor-in-chief used hate rhetoric against the abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavlo.

The article's headline — "Lavra Abbot Pavlo refuses to renounce Kirill, who justified the killing of Ukrainians" — was designed to inflame hatred and provoke violence against the monks and the abbot of the monastery.

No quotes from Metropolitan Pavlo substantiating Pidvezianyi's claim were published in the materials.

The editor-in-chief of "Hlavkom" effectively defamed the clergyman.

(Source: "Hlavkom")

On March 10, 2022, an article authored by Pidvezianyi was published on the "Hlavkom" website, in which he deliberately referred to UOC believers as "believers of the Moscow Church."

In the context of the war, such a statement was designed to incite hatred against UOC believers and clergy.

(Source: "Hlavkom")

On March 13, 2022, an article authored by Pidvezianyi was published on the "Hlavkom" website, in which he deliberately referred to the UOC as the "Moscow Church."

The deliberate distortion of facts was demonstrated in the very headline of the article — "Ecumenical Patriarch blessed the Moscow Church in Ukraine to commemorate him instead of Kirill."

In the first paragraph of the text, Pidvezianyi states that by "Moscow Church" he means the UOC.

"Bartholomew does not object to UOC MP clergy beginning to commemorate him without additional canonical procedures."

In the context of the war, such a statement was designed to incite hatred against UOC believers and clergy.

(Source: "Hlavkom")

On October 19, 2023, an article authored by Pidvezianyi was published on the "Hlavkom" website, in which he called for the effective destruction of the UOC.

Pidvezianyi deliberately referred to UOC believers and clergy in the article's headline as the "Moscow Church."

"The day the Moscow Church in Ukraine comes to an end."

In his op-ed, Pidvezianyi made disparaging remarks about UOC churches and clergy.

Furthermore, the editor-in-chief of "Hlavkom" publicly called for a vote in favor of the unconstitutional law banning the UOC.

"Today 267 votes in the first reading supported the bill on banning religious organizations linked to the Russian Federation.

For me, the UOC MP will be finished when their kiosk with a fence and security guards disappears from the park nearby.

And so in every park in Kyiv.

The wooden church MAF was built without a lawful land allocation. And everyone (the authorities and law enforcement) knows this, everyone confirms it, and everyone just blinks, but no one is capable of doing anything.

And so at every hospital.

Specifically MP. Specifically ROC. Not just any other church.

You can't enter a ward to see a loved one without shoe covers or a gown. But a dirty ROC priest with a greasy beard — the door is open for him almost all the way to the ICU. A daily round with a collection box on a strict schedule. I unfortunately had the opportunity to witness this.

What other laws have we been missing until now to stop this?

267 votes in the first reading today? I see no reason to rejoice.

We have four hundred deputies, 10 years of war, and 267 votes?"

(Source: "Hlavkom")

On February 6, 2025, an article authored by Pidvezianyi was published on the "Hlavkom" website, in which he accused the clergy of UOC parishes abroad of "intelligence work."

The article, titled "Agents in Cassocks. A Large-Scale Special Operation in Europe," contains hate rhetoric and false information about UOC religious communities in European Union countries.

"The Moscow Church under the 'UOC' brand is actively filling the niche of the 'Ukrainian church' in Europe.

For three years now, a large-scale special operation has been underway in Europe. A network of a hundred parishes has been created, operating under the guise of Ukrainian ones.

'Hlavkom' raised this topic long ago. We even came to the attention of the 'legendary' lawyer Amsterdam, who hired (Orthodox bastards) ROC lobbyists in the US. He directly threatened us.

Here is what is actually happening.

For European states, all refugees with Ukrainian passports are the same. Especially when they are believers or priests. Hence the attention, sympathy, assistance… That is why the Moscow Church under the UOC brand is actively filling the niche of the Ukrainian church in Europe, where there are now millions of Ukrainians. It simply could not have done this without the ROC's sanction…

While the OCU simply watches. The Tomos forbids it from operating beyond the borders of the state… Abroad — it is the jurisdiction of Constantinople. Patriarch Filaret knew what he was grumbling about regarding the Tomos.

"And when Ukrainian organizations try to convey this hybrid threat to local authorities, they say: 'No, no, we don't deal with this — we either help everyone or no one.'"

A conversation about the 'agents in cassocks' who have actively spread across the world — with the rector of the Open Orthodox University, Georgiy Kovalenko. Father Georgiy has been a priest of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine since January 7, 2019.

The interview took place within the framework of the public initiative project "Igla" — "Bridges of Ukraine," led by the charming and tireless Margaryta Sytnyk.

The project aims to unite Ukrainians around the world, and therefore "Hlavkom" is an information partner of this worthy endeavor."

In his announcement of the interview, Pidvezianyi made entirely false statements without supporting them with any evidence.

(Source: "Hlavkom")

On March 10, 2025, an article authored by Pidvezianyi was published on the "Hlavkom" website, in which he referred to a Kyiv UOC monastery as a "stronghold of Russian Orthodoxy."

Such a headline was crafted with the intent of provoking hatred against UOC believers and clergy.

"In three years of full-scale invasion, only four religious communities in Kyiv have changed their canonical affiliation and transferred from the UOC (MP) to the WTO. All of these transfers took place in 2023.

As of today, not a single new community transfer is known to have occurred in 2024 — including after the adoption of the law on the 'ban on the Moscow Church.'

That is to say, they are all waiting. You understand for what."

In the next paragraph, Pidvezianyi insinuated that UOC communities in Kyiv are allegedly waiting for the intervention of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This became yet another example of Pidvezianyi's hate rhetoric.

(Source: "Hlavkom")

On May 1, 2025, an article authored by Pidvezianyi was published on the "Hlavkom" website, in which he used the derogatory term "waiters" [zhdуny] toward UOC believers and clergy.

The editor-in-chief of "Hlavkom" effectively insinuated that the UOC is waiting for the arrival of the Russian army.

(Source: "Hlavkom")

On August 21, 2025, an article authored by Pidvezianyi was published on the "Hlavkom" website, in which he referred to UOC clergy as "Russian agents."

"Who is providing cover for the Russian agents in the corridors of power?

The law banning the UOC MP — August 20, 2024 marked one year. Have you noticed any changes?"

Pidvezianyi effectively calls for the liquidation of the UOC and accuses those who refuse to violate the law.

"Onufriy himself is already without Ukrainian citizenship, but he is in no hurry to genuinely break with Russia or leave for it. And this unhurriedness can be easily explained.

First. They are all waiting… The topic of 'protecting the Russian church in Ukraine' is regularly raised by Putin as one of the conditions for ending the war. So the UOC MP is counting on everything being 'resolved at the highest level.'

Second. And even if Ukraine does not agree to Putin's terms, they will continue to drag out the liquidation with endless court battles. Money for top-class lawyers is not a problem. The American lawyer Amsterdam will confirm.

But there is another, far more troubling dimension to the problem here. The deliberate sabotage of officials who are very fond of the Russian church. Both at the local and central levels.

First. The government has, for some reason, unconscionably delayed its part of the work and missed all the deadlines for implementing the law.

Second. The State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience is not staffed to stand up in courts against the professionals hired by the MP — the Novynskys and Vatsaks of every region (every region has its own such moneyed savior of true Orthodoxy).

Third. Local state administrations, for the most part, do not see a problem at all and in no way stimulate the processes set in motion by the law. And sometimes they even sabotage them. This spring, "Hlavkom" conducted a survey of regional administrations that demonstrated: very few UOC MP parishes took advantage of the opportunity to voluntarily amend their statutes as provided by the law.

Who is providing cover for Russian agents in the corridors of power."

(Source: "Hlavkom")