Orthodox-based private military companies are being created in Russia, which is another documented fact of the direct participation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the war against Ukraine. After all, members of the so-called PMCs sign contracts with the Russian defense ministry and take direct part in the war of aggression.
Political scientist Ihor Reiterovych said this on the air of Freedom TV.
“It is not important what the motives were for the creation of any such organization, or how it formally exists… They won’t succeed in justifying this with some sort of a religious factor, especially as the Russian Federation tends to do it, with some mythical religious persecution. Why? Because there is a fact of direct participation, military training. Obviously, these people are being sent, have been sent before, and will be sent to Ukraine,” said the political scholar.
In his opinion, Ukrainian diplomacy and church should actively work with international public and religious organizations, providing them with information and documentary evidence of the Russian Orthodox Church’s participation in the war.
“And, accordingly, it [the Russian Orthodox Church], as well as other institutions of civil society – and I shall l remind you that the church is an institution of civil society, <…> should be targeted by the same sanctions as those applied to the political and military leadership… They should be held accountable, at least, at the level of sanctions policy,” the political scientist believes.
He noted that there is plenty of evidence proving ROC’s participation in the war: from photos showing ads promoting recruitment for the war at the gates to churches to video recordings of priests calling on people to sign contracts with the Russian armed forces.
“And in this context, they must bear the same responsibility as all other leaders. There can be no illusions that they are any different, that the church is separated from the state. This is not the case in the Russian Federation,” Ihor Reiterovych emphasized.
