The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is registered in accordance with Ukrainian law, its founder is the UOC Cathedral, and its religious center, like all governing agencies, is located in Kyiv, the UOC (MP) said, commenting on the decision of the Constitutional Court (CC).

"The Constitutional Court of Ukraine recognized the law on renaming as constitutional. At the same time, it should be noted that the decision of the Constitutional Court does not oblige the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to change its name, it only concerns the compliance of the law on renaming with the Constitution of Ukraine," head of the legal department of the UOC, Archpriest Oleksandr Bakhov said, according to the UOC press service.

He said there is no mention of the UOC in the law itself.

"The statutory documents testify that the UOC is registered in accordance with Ukrainian legislation, its founder is the UOC Cathedral, its religious center, like all governing agencies, is located in Kyiv. All attempts to force this law to apply to the UOC will increase cases of violation of the right to freedom of conscience and religions in Ukraine," he said.

"Thus, despite the decision of the Constitutional Court, it should be noted that today there are no legal grounds for changing the name of religious organizations belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church," Bakhov said.