The National Security and Defense Council has introduced sanctions against 21 leaders and priests of the Russian Orthodox Church. Among them is Kirill’s nephew Mikhail Gundyaev.
This is stated in the presidential decree enforcing the decision of the National Security Council. Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of them in his evening video address to the nation on Monday.
“Sanctions have been introduced against 22 people – Russian nationals, who, under the guise of spirituality, support terror and genocidal policy,” the head of state said.
Sanctions are also introduced against a representative of Christians of the evangelical faith (Pentecostals).
The list was drafted taking into account the recommendations of the head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policies and Freedom of Conscience, Viktor Yelenskyi.
Sanctions target:
It should be noted that these personal sanctions were imposed against important figures of this “FSB branch.” In particular, they target Archpriest Mikhail Gundyaev, who is the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church at the World Council of Churches and other international organizations in Geneva.
Sanctions were also imposed against:
Grigoriy Valerievich Alfeev, aka Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church;
Archpriest Nikolai Vladimirovich Balashov, Deputy Head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church;
Pavel Pavlovich Volochkov, aka Archbishop Pitirim of Syktyvkar and Komi-Zyryan;
Archpriest Artemiy Vladimirovich Vladimirov;
Andrey Yurievich Tkachev, Mitrophorian Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church;
Alexei Illich Osipov;
Roman Sergeevich Bogdasarov, head of the sector for interaction with the Russian Guard, Synodal department for interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies of the Russian Orthodox Church;
Alexander Vladimirovich Bulekov, Archimandrite Filaret;
Alexander Ivanovich Ganzhin, also known as Archimandrite Alexiy, Deputy Head of the Synodal Department for Interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies of the Russian Orthodox Church;
Leonid Eduardovich Gorbachev;
Emelyanov Leonid Grigoryovych, Metropolitan Tikhon of Vladimir and Suzdal;
Vakhtang Vladimirovich Kipshidze, deputy head of the Synodal Department for the interaction of the Church with public and mass media of the Russian Orthodox Church;
Metropolitan Alexei Sergeevich Kulberg;
Vladimir Romanovich Legoida, acting head of the press service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
Nikolay Fedorovich Nemtsov;
Oleg Andreeovyih Ovcharov, justice colonel, (reserve), head of the Synodal Department for interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies of the Russian Orthodox Church, priest, protopresbyter of the military and naval clergy;
Metropolitan Anton Yurievych Sevriuk, head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church;
Archpriest Konstantin Yulievich Tatarintsev, head of the sector for interaction with the Air and Space Forces of the Synodal Department for interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies of the Russian Orthodox Church;
Metropolitan Nikolai Nikolaevich Chashin;
Alexander Vladimirovich Shchipkov;
Presiding bishop Sergei Vasyliovych Ryakhovsky, member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.
Sanctions detailed
The decree provides for different sanctions for individual representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church. They involve asset freeze, restriction of trade operations, termination of transit of resources, flights and other transportation through the territory of Ukraine, prevention of withdrawal of capital outside the country’s borders, suspension of the fulfillment of economic and financial obligations, etc.
Their validity terms are also assumed to be different. For part of those on the sanctions list, it will be 5 years, and for some the sanctions will be valid for 30 years.
