The Russian Foreign Ministry has published a report “On the unlawful actions of the Kyiv regime against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), its clergy and parishioners (as of Nov 30, 2024)”.
This was reported by the Christians Against War Telegram channel.
The document covers events since 2018, omitting the background and actions of the Russian authorities, stating that “for many years, the Kyiv authorities have been actively pursuing in Ukraine a course to eliminate the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), discriminate against its clergy, persecute clergy and believers, and force the flock to switch to the artificially created schismatic ‘Orthodox Church of Ukraine’ (OCU).”
“It should be borne in mind that the events unfolding in Ukraine fit into the overall picture of the systemic crisis of global Orthodoxy, caused by the policy of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the USA. and other Western nations, which encourages schismatics,” the report says.
The report often uses emotionally charged terms such as “neo-Nazi dictatorship,” “raider seizures,” “vandalism,” “arbitrariness,” and “impunity.” Such lingo creates a negative image of the Ukrainian authorities and should be perceived as propaganda, not as objective reality. For example, the description of the Ukrainian authorities as a “neo-Nazi dictatorship” is an extremely subjective propaganda cliché.
The document often mentions “facts” and “reports”, while failing to always back them up with specific sources or evidence.
Many statements are based on claims by representatives from the UOC (MP) or the Russian authorities, which makes the text one-sided. There are no references to independent international organizations or inquiries that could confirm or refute these claims.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stops short of mentioning any provocations or actions by the UOC (MP) that could cause restrictive, preventive measures by the Ukrainian government, the National Security and Defense Council, against the said Church. This creates the impression that Ukraine is acting solely out of a desire to suppress the Orthodox Church, which is a manipulative claim.
This is overall a one-sided and emotionally charged document that serves propaganda purposes rather than an objective analysis of the situation.
It is worth noting that the hierarchs of the UOC (MP) systematically complain about “persecution” by the Ukrainian government. They even went as far as appeal to the UN.
