Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Ukraine to Ban Russia-Linked Orthodox Church


Thu 19 Jan 2023 | 09:21 PM
Verkhovna Rada
Verkhovna Rada
Omnia Ahmed

The Ukrainian government submitted on Thursday to the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) a bill aimed at banning the canonical Orthodox Church that is affiliated with Russia.

The bill was initiated by Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal under the directives of President Vladimir Zelenskyy.

Taras Melnichuk, a government representative in the Verkhovna Rada, revealed that the proposed bill provides for amendments to the current legislation, which makes impossible the activity of religious organizations whose governing center is outside Ukraine in a state that carries out armed aggression against Kyiv.

Last December, Zelenskyy handed down instructions to submit a bill to parliament banning "religious organizations affiliated with centers of influence in the Russian Federation" and scrutinizing the Charter governing the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for signs of canonical ties with the Moscow Patriarchate.

On a separate note, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently asserted that he had "no doubt" Moscow would achieve victory in Ukraine, despite military setbacks in the nearly year-long offensive.

"From the standpoint of the end result and victory, which is unavoidable, there are several things that have not gone anywhere and that lie at the foundation of our victory,” Putin said during his visit to the Obukhov State Plant.

The leader highlighted the victory’s factors, including the unity and solidarity of the Russian people, and the bravery of troops in the special military operation and on the frontline.