Zelensky awards order to OCU "hierarch" with Russian citizenship

Kliment Kusch. Photo: facebook.com/Orthodox.in.Ukraine

"Metropolitan" of Simferopol and Crimea, Kliment (Pavel Nikolayevich) Kusch, has been awarded the Order of Danylo Halytsky. The corresponding decree by President Volodymyr Zelensky was published on the President’s official website. In Zelensky’s order, Kusch is listed as a lieutenant in the chaplain service.

Previously, Kliment Kusch became known for his public disputes with Russian authorities over non-residential premises in central Simferopol, which housed the LLC "Crimean Orthodox Spiritual Center". Kusch’s organization engaged in various commercial activities, with an annual revenue of about 3.5 million rubles. He insisted on free rent for the premises, while the Russian "authorities" in Crimea demanded commercial rent. Ultimately, Kusch lost the case.

In September 2024, Kusch was assaulted by unknown individuals in central Kyiv. The OCU stated that "based on the available evidence and testimonies, there are no grounds to assert religious or political motives behind the incident."

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Kusch explained why he obtained a Russian passport. According to the "hierarch," if he had not acquired Russian documentation, he "would have lost all property, not only church property but also his personal belongings," which he owns in Crimea.

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