The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) today conducted searches in the Orthodox churches of the Moscow Patriarchate, as pressure on the church intensifies against the backdrop of the war with Russia.

According to the SBU, “counterintelligence measures” were taken against 19 monasteries, cathedrals and churches in several regions of Ukraine. Kyiv justified the investigations by saying that they are part of an effort “to counter the subversive activities of Russian intelligence.”

The Ukrainians claim to have found “Russian passports, propaganda literature and transit permits” issued by the Russian occupation authorities.

“In these publications, representatives of Russia deny the existence of the Ukrainian people, their language and culture, and cast doubt on the Ukrainian state,” the SBU said in a Telegram message.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has been under pressure from the Ukrainian authorities since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in early December that he intended to restrict the activities of religious organizations linked to Russia.

Examinations were also carried out in November, especially in the well-known Kiev monastery.

In recent weeks, the authorities have also sanctioned about 15 senior members of this church for their pro-Moscow stance or for collaborating with the Russian occupation authorities.

Ukraine, which is majority Orthodox Christian, is divided between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and the autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church, founded in late 2018 and recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. At the end of May, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church announced that it was cutting off relations with Russia because of the invasion.

The Russian Orthodox Church condemned the investigations in Ukraine as an “act of intimidation” of believers.

Source: RES-IPE