Most Ukrainians are Orthodox Christians, but they are divided between a minority Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) traditionally tied to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and an independent church recognised by the world Orthodox hierarchy in 2019. Ukrainian authorities accuse the UOC of supporting the Kremlin’s invasion by spreading pro-Russian propaganda and housing spies. The Russian Orthodox Church and its leader, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, are fervent supporters of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In a session of the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday, 265 MPs voted in favour of a bill, with 29 against, that bans the Russian Orthodox Church on Ukrainian territory. The regulations also prohibit the activities of organisations associated with UOC. The decision to place an entity under the ban must be approved in court. The law will come into force 30 days after its publication. Communities belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church have nine months to cut ties with UOC.
Since February 2022’s Russian invasion, Ukrainian authorities have started numerous criminal proceedings, including treason charges, against several of UOC’s clerics. At least one cleric was part of a prisoner swap. The legislation still requires a signature from President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy.
