In a significant move, Ukrainian legislators have approved a bill aimed at prohibiting the activities of the Russia-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) within the country's borders. This decision, made on August 20, 2024, comes amid ongoing concerns about the church's alleged complicity in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began two and a half years ago.
The legislation, which garnered support from 265 lawmakers, targets the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and its affiliated organizations operating in Ukraine. A government commission will be tasked with compiling a list of these entities, with the UOC expected to be a primary focus. The final decision on banning specific organizations will rest with the courts.
Roman Lozynskyi, a member of parliament, described the move as "the inevitable path of cleansing from within the Kremlin's agent network," suggesting that the UOC had been "hiding behind the mask of a religious organization for decades."
This legislative action reflects the complex religious landscape in Ukraine, where Orthodox Christianity is the dominant faith but is divided between two main branches. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), recognized by the global Orthodox hierarchy in 2019, stands as an independent entity. In contrast, the UOC has historically maintained ties with the Moscow Patriarchate.
The religious split in Ukraine traces back to the collapse of the Soviet Union, with the UOC established in 1990 and the OCU created in 2018. The latter's autocephaly, granted by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in 2019, led to a severing of ties between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
While the UOC claims to have cut ties with the ROC following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian officials remain skeptical. This skepticism has led to numerous criminal proceedings against UOC clerics, including charges of treason.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has expressed support for the bill, viewing it as a step towards "strengthening Ukraine's spiritual independence." He emphasized the importance of preventing "manipulation of the Ukrainian Church from Moscow."
The religious conflict in Ukraine is often perceived as an extension of the broader geopolitical struggle between Russia and Ukraine. Since the 2022 invasion, some UOC clergy and parishes have shifted their allegiance to the OCU, further complicating the religious landscape.
As this situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the implementation of this law will impact Ukraine's religious communities and its ongoing efforts to maintain national security in the face of external threats.
"Today we have embarked on the inevitable path of cleansing from within the Kremlin's agent network, which has been hiding behind the mask of a religious organisation for decades."
This legislative move underscores the intricate relationship between religion, politics, and national security in Ukraine, as the country continues to navigate its path amidst ongoing conflict and seeks to assert its independence on multiple fronts.