Ukraine is a democratic state in which freedom of religion is guaranteed, but freedom is not the same as the right to engage in activities that undermine national security, Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleh Nikolenko said, commenting on the concern of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights about searches in the buildings of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC MP).

"In a recent report on human rights in Ukraine, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that searches in the buildings of the UOC MP could be of a 'discriminatory nature.' Ukraine is a democratic state in which freedom of religion is guaranteed. At the same time, freedom is not the same as the right to be engaged in activities that undermine national security," Nikolenko said on Facebook on Monday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on OHCHR to refrain from "unbalanced political assessments, but to base its reports on facts."

Earlier, in a UN report on the human rights situation in Ukraine over the last six months, they said "OHCHR is concerned that the actions of the state against the UOC may be discriminatory."

"OHCHR also recalls the necessity of ensuring that all those facing criminal charges enjoy the full spectrum of nonderogable fair trial rights," the UN said in the report.