More than three years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine is edging toward a decisive move against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) over its lingering connections to the Russian Orthodox Church.
A 2024 law requires the Moscow-linked church to sever all ties with Russia or face prohibition. Despite repeated instructions from the State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, including a final August 18 deadline, the church has yet to take formal action.
The Ukrainian government and critics of the church argue it has acted as an arm of the Kremlin, citing criminal investigations into over 100 priests for alleged collaboration with Russian authorities. High-profile cases include clerics accused of aiding Russian troops, as well as sanctions against top church leaders by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Church officials insist they are already independent, denying any political allegiance to Moscow and rejecting allegations of wrongdoing. Metropolitan Klyment, a spokesman for the church, has described the law as an infringement on religious freedom, claiming that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church no longer participates in the Russian church’s governing bodies.
Despite those claims, religious experts and Ukrainian officials maintain that canonical and structural ties remain intact. Critics point out that the church’s head is still formally recognized within the Russian Orthodox Church’s hierarchy, and financial links to Russia persist through pro-Moscow benefactors.
If banned, the move could trigger a legal and political storm, including appeals to the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights. Implementation also poses challenges — while the umbrella organization could be dissolved, individual parishes might continue operating without official registration.
Supporters of the law, however, stress that the goal is not to shut down worship but to ensure that no religious body in Ukraine operates under Moscow’s influence during wartime. As the deadline looms, the future of the Moscow-affiliated church in Ukraine hangs in the balance.
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