Ukraine Passes Law to Pave Way for Ban on Russia-Linked Orthodox Church

KYIV – Ukrainian lawmakers took a decisive step on Tuesday by passing legislation that could lead to the banning of the Russia-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which Kyiv has accused of aiding Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Orthodox Christian population is split between two branches: one traditionally tied to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and another independent church, recognized by the global Orthodox hierarchy in 2019. Ukrainian leaders have long accused the Moscow-linked UOC of collaborating with the Kremlin by promoting pro-Russian propaganda and allegedly sheltering spies.

The new law, passed in parliament, prohibits the presence of the Russian Orthodox Church on Ukrainian soil. A government commission will now compile a list of “affiliated” organizations, expected to target the UOC, whose activities will be outlawed. Any ban will ultimately be decided by a court. The bill garnered support from 265 lawmakers, with 29 voting against it, according to parliamentarian Yaroslav Zhelezniak on Telegram.

“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 organization for decades,” said lawmaker Roman Lozynskyi in a statement on Facebook.

While the UOC has not yet responded to the new law, it has previously stated that it cut ties with the ROC after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ukrainian officials, however, dispute this claim, and numerous criminal investigations, including treason charges, have been launched against UOC clerics. One cleric has already been sent to Russia in a prisoner swap.

The legislation still requires President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s signature, which he described earlier this month as a measure “aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s spiritual independence.” He emphasized that the law would ensure “no manipulation of the Ukrainian Church from Moscow.”