Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law aimed at regulating religious organizations with leadership based in Russia. The document was presented to the president for approval on 23 August and was officially signed the following day, 24 August.
Ukraine has been working to distance itself from the Russian church since 2014, with efforts intensifying after Russia's 2022 invasion of the country.
The newly signed legislation, which Russia criticized, coincided with Ukraine’s Independence Day celebrations and marked two and a half years since Russia's invasion began. Zelenskyy expressed that this law would reinforce Ukraine’s independence, stating, "The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is taking a significant step towards freeing itself from Moscow's grip."
Although the Ukrainian Orthodox Church officially separated from the Moscow Patriarchy in 2022, Ukrainian authorities continue to accuse certain clerics of maintaining ties to Russia.
The invasion of Ukraine has been strongly supported by Russia's Orthodox Church leader, Patriarch Kirill, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin.
On 20 August, Ukraine’s parliament passed the bill in its second reading, which prohibits religious organizations linked to Russia from operating within the country. The law targets the spread of the "Russian world" ideology, often promoted by certain factions within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). This ideology portrays Ukraine as part of a greater "Holy Rus" and dismisses Ukraine's sovereignty, posing a national security risk.
The legislation seeks to curb the influence of churches associated with Russia, especially as Russia continues its aggression against Ukraine. Religious organizations suspected of collaborating with the Russian Orthodox Church will undergo investigation by a special expert commission, established by the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS).
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