Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

Activists of UNA-UNSO focus.ua The Ukrainian National Assembly - Ukrainian National Self-Defense (UNA-UNSO) has expressed protest against the invitation of Moscow Patriarch Kirill to the inauguration of Ukraine's President-Elect Viktor Yanukovych and intends to hold protests on the inauguration day, February 25.

"We are preparing a rally," head of UNA-UNSO Executive Committee Ruslan Zaichenko said at a press conference in Kyiv on Monday.

"As a citizen of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych has a right to practice any religion or be an atheist. But getting a blessing for the presidency from the head of a foreign denomination, from a Russian politician, who considers Ukraine part of the 'Russian world' and 'the Ukrainian people - his own people,' openly humiliates the majority of Ukraine's denominations, and wants to return Ukraine under the rule of Moscow, is a disgrace to our state, which Yanukovych is going to lead... Therefore, UNA-UNSO strongly protest against Kirill's intentions to bless Yanukovych's inauguration," UNA-UNSO said in a statement circulated at the press conference.