Olena Kovalska

Olena Oleksandrivna KOVALSKA

(born March 7, 1974)

Olena Kovalska has been working in the Office of the President of Ukraine since 2021. Head of the Main Department of Strategic Communications of the Information Policy Directorate of the Office of the President of Ukraine. From March 29, 2024 - Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak.

Supports and implements Zelensky's anti-church policy, spreads the lie that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is a branch of the Moscow Patriarchate, which supports the killing of Ukrainians and the invasion of the Russian Federation. Lobbies for Ukrainian religious policy in Washington and the Patriarchate of Constantinople. She personally justifies religious persecution, arrests and trials of clerics, and also tries to discredit international defenders of the UOC and American politicians who report on the facts of persecution.

🔴 On August 13, 2024, before the final vote of the parliament on the draft law on the banning of the UOC No. 8371, Olena Kovalska and the head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) Viktor Yelenskyi met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew - to convince of the need for a law against the UOC and to secure his support.

The state delegation included personally the head of the OCU Epifanii, the speaker of the OCU Yevstratiy Zorya and others.

"The parties discussed in detail the state of religious freedom in Ukraine, which, despite the war, is being deepened by Ukrainian society. The Ukrainian side is proud that there are no closed churches or major and minor religions in our country, and the voice of the few religious communities in the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations sounds as loud as the voice of the churches to which the majority of Ukrainians belong...

The Ecumenical Patriarch confirmed his constant readiness to make the necessary efforts for the prosperity of Orthodoxy in Ukraine and noted that he cares for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

His All-Holiness noted that he supports everything that is aimed at the good of Ukraine. In particular, this includes the initiative of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on spiritual independence, which is a prerequisite for the development of our country.

The Ukrainian side delivered to the Ecumenical Patriarch an invitation from the President of Ukraine to visit our country".

🔴August 31, 2024 'Religious diplomacy in action: the visit of the Ukrainian delegation to the USA', - DESS

Viktor Yelensky and Elena Kovalskaya, deputy head of the Office of President Andrei Yermak, held a series of meetings in Washington on issues of religious freedom in Ukraine.

As part of the visit, meetings were held with: the leadership of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF); Paul Massaro, Senior Political Advisor of the Helsinki Commission; representatives of the US State Department; The head of the World Baptist Alliance, Elijah Brown; the leadership of the Museum of the Bible; Eric Patterson, President and CEO of the Victims of Communism Memorial Fund; leaders of the Ukrainian community in the USA.

"The focus of the discussion was legislative initiatives to protect the constitutional order in the sphere of activities of religious organizations, in the context of countering external threats and ensuring internal stability; and also exchanged views on the active participation of religious communities in public life and in the defense of the country.

Religious diplomacy is an integral part of modern foreign policy of Ukraine. Protection of religious rights and freedoms is one of the priorities of state policy, and international cooperation in this area is extremely important"

🔴On November 25, 2024, in an interview with Ukrinform, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office for Humanitarian Affairs Elena Kovalskaya stated the “need for the UOC to leave the control of Moscow,” for which the authorities must create certain conditions, within the framework of the anti-church law adopted in parliament before this. Adopted with the help of the presidential mono-majority in the Verkhovna Rada.

"Religious organizations suspected of collaborating with the Russian Orthodox Church will be checked by an expert commission created by the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (GESS). This takes time, and the law gives nine months for this process, after which it can be applied in full," - noted Ermak’s deputy.

🔴11/25/2024 Kovalskaya admitted that she lobbied for an anti-church law in the USA, while lying about the purpose and provisions of this law. This distorted position is broadcast by all major media outlets in the country.

“The issue of religious freedom is important and influences political decisions.

We saw an example in the spring of this year when US aid was rejected, and this issue influenced the decision at that time. This is one of the political components, and, especially now, with the advent of Trump, it will become even more acute. Therefore, we are paying close attention to this situation. But I will tell you that we can be proud of the level of religious freedom that exists in Ukraine.

I personally meet with the Council of Churches and note the solidarity of representatives of various faiths and religious communities.

“I’m sorry that not all Ukrainians understand that we can be proud of this level of religious freedom.”

Kovalskaya, who herself lobbied for the totalitarian law banning the UOC, assures:

“Its main goal is to protect national and public security, human rights and freedoms. None of the provisions of this Law can be interpreted as limiting freedom of religion or belief, the right to observe religious practices and ritual observances.

Its goal is to put an end to the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. This is not about prohibitions and a split in society, but about ending the influence of the Moscow Patriarchate, which is not the instigator of aggression against Ukraine, but a full participant in it.'

🔴The UN, the OSCE, the Anglican Church, the Catholic Church, the World Council of Churches, Human Rights Watch and Forum 18 do not agree with it - they all criticize this law 3894-IX (bill 8371).

🔴In an interview with the state agency Ukrinform, she accuses American politicians and human rights activists of working for the Russian Federation.

"- How can you comment on the accusations of Bob Amsterdam and some American politicians of suppressing the interests of Christians in Ukraine?

- You know, our enemy invests huge amounts of money not only in promoting its cultural products, but also in information campaigns. They find sensitive topics and begin to “rock” them. This also applies to religion. They take a specific case and turn it into an information campaign. And a story emerges that has nothing to do with the real facts.”

In fact, a representative of Zelensky's office accused international lawyer Robert Amsterdam, US Vice President J.D. Vance, newly appointed head of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and co-chairman of the Department of Government Effectiveness Vivek Ramaswami of working for Russian money. And along with them is the department of the US State Department, which deals with issues of religious freedom and regularly records terror against Ukrainian Christians in its reports.

🔴 September 8, 2025. In an interview with National Review, Kovalskaya claims that “the UOC-MP acts as a branch of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine, which blesses the murder of Ukrainians.” And that the trials against the clergy of the UOC are fair because of their real work for the enemy. And the persecution of the UOC that Tucker Carlson spoke about does not exist just because he interviewed Putin.

"...We have complete freedom of religion.

Ukraine is in no way opposed to the parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (which is still affiliated with Russia) or to its doctrine. The only thing we ask as a state is that legal ties with Russia be severed. The relevant bill was passed last year. The adopted regulations essentially require the UOC to inform Moscow that the UOC is no longer part of the Moscow Patriarchate, as well as to request in writing that its bishops and priests be removed from the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. That is all that is required. This is the only thing the state is asking for under the law passed last year.

At the same time, we are glad that there are many people in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who truly serve Ukraine and fight for our country. We respect and love them as we do any other Christians. At our National Prayer Breakfast, there were parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church — military and public figures..."

The representative of Zelensky’s Office kept silent about the fact that representatives of the UOC were not invited to the “National Prayer Breakfast” and other similar ones, discriminating against this Church in comparison with other faiths. Also, a prayer breakfast for the military was held in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra taken away from the priests of the UOC, but the UOC was not invited there.

"There are accusations that you have heard from Tucker Carlson that Ukraine is allegedly arresting priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. So, in our country, the rule of law prevails, and if someone works against the country by helping the enemy, they will be punished regardless of their position.

In total, since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, according to the Security Service of Ukraine, more than 180 criminal proceedings have been initiated on the facts of illegal activities of clergymen of the UOC (MP). Among the clergymen against whom investigations have been initiated, there are 23 bishops. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 38 clergymen of the UOC (MP) have already been sentenced by the court.

At the same time, there are 9,000 priests of the UOC (MP) serving in the country. At the same time, there are 9,000 priests of the UOC (MP) serving in the country. 180 criminal cases have been opened against 9,000 people, and only against those who actually worked for Russia. What persecution are we talking about?

Based on these facts, you can understand for yourself how much truth there is in Tucker Carlson’s words. He interviewed Putin, the dictator who attacked Ukraine, with basically no pushback.

Once again, we love and respect the UOC. The only thing we ask is to sever legal ties with Russia. Because otherwise, the UOC acts as a branch of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine. The very same Patriarchate that blesses the killing of Ukrainians.

The Russian Orthodox Church also supports religious persecution. It supports Russia’s war against Ukraine"

🔴12/19/2025 "UPC is fighting in court for the right to continue to be subordinated to the Moscow Patriarchate", - said Olena Kovalska, head of the Office of the President.

"Ukraine has never banned the UOC MP"

She convinces the society that the UOC is part of the Russian Orthodox Church, an "accomplice in the crimes of the Russian regime" and will be able to continue its existence only if it leaves its membership. Although this is a deliberate lie and a condition that cannot be fulfilled, because the UOC is legally not part of the Russian Orthodox Church and, accordingly, cannot leave it. And she assures again that the authorities have never banned the UOC - there are no persecutions.

"The UPC should leave this organization (ROC), and then it will have all the opportunities to continue to act freely and without any obstacles,' she emphasized in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

"We are a democratic state that works within the framework of the law. And the law, which is actually about the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is about the legal field. The state has not closed any church and will not close it in the near future. It is about the UOC giving up the status of being affiliated with the aggressor country,' said Kovalska.

"Kovalska noted that Ukraine has never banned the UOC in unity with the Moscow Patriarchate.

In Ukraine, according to the law "On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Field of Activities of Religious Organizations", the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church as an ideological continuation of the regime of the Russian Federation, which is an accomplice in crimes against humanity, are prohibited. As for the UOC, it should leave this organization (ROC), and then it will have every opportunity to continue to act freely and without any obstacles.

In addition, Ukraine does not require the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to change the language of worship, change the calendar, arbitrarily declare autocephaly, or become part of another church.

According to Kovalska, the leadership of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has so far refused to comply with the order of the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience.

'Accordingly, the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, in accordance with the law, appealed to the court to terminate the Kyiv Metropolis - the governing center of the UOC.

At the heart of the matter, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is fighting in court for the right to continue to be subordinated to the Moscow Patriarchate. But even now she can fulfill the order to break the subordination of the center, which has directly declared its goal to destroy Ukraine, and act freely in our country"