Russian Orthodox Church Archives

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Danish Churches slam WCC for criticizing Ukraine laws more than Russia’s “holy” war

Taking two years to condemn Russia's "holy war" ideology and four days to condemn Ukraine's law against the Russian Orthodox Church is telling, Danish churches say

byAlya Shandra

politico new russian church's location near swedish airport raises security concerns holy mother god kazan orthodox church västerås sweden 1024px-ryska_kyrkan_västerås_nov-2019

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Politico: New Russian church’s location near Swedish airport raises security concerns

The church in Sweden's Västerås has drawn criticism from security experts due to its proximity to strategic facilities, amid growing evidence of Moscow using religious institutions for intelligence operations across Europe.

byYuri Zoria

1 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Ukraine’s parliament speaker signs bill banning Russian-linked religious organizations

The law will empower authorities to scrutinize and potentially disband any religious entity found to be collaborating with Russia.

byOlena Mukhina

15 minute read

Analysis

Is Ukraine banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church?

Unexpectedly, some within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church welcome the new law, seeing it as leverage to force their leadership to fully break from Moscow.

byAlya Shandra

ukraine bans moscow-affiliated churches verkhovna rada file

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Parliament bans Moscow-affiliated churches in Ukraine

Ukraine's parliament passed a law banning Russian-affiliated religious organizations. The law permits courts to suspend these organizations' activities, giving them nine months to sever ties with Moscow.

byYuri Zoria

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Ukrainian parliament to consider ban on Russian-aligned church next month

A bill prohibiting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate will be the first law on the agenda at the next parliamentary session.

byOlena Mukhina

Patriarch Daniil of Bulgarian Orthodox Church

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Bulgarian Orthodox Church elects pro-Kremlin Metropolitan Daniil as new Patriarch

In 2023, the newly elected Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil expressed his support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, drawing criticism from some clergy members.

byVira Kravchuk

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Kremlin uses church to erase identities of deported Ukrainian kids

A joint investigation found the Russian Orthodox Church actively engaged in destroying the ukrainian identities of children deported from occupied areas.

byMaria Tril

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Estonian Parliament designates Moscow Patriarchate as sponsor of Russian aggression

Estonia's Parliament passed a statement condemning the Moscow Patriarchate for justifying Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The statement declares it a sponsor of military efforts, and calls for international action against its hostile influence operations.

byYuri Zoria

Top priest of Moscow-linked church accused of leaking Ukrainian military checkpoints to Russia

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Top priest of Moscow-backed church accused of leaking Ukrainian military checkpoints to Russia

Metropolitan Arsenii, a Russian national, heads the historic Svyatogorsk Lavra monastery in Donetsk Oblast, one of Ukraine's major Orthodox monasteries.

byYevheniia Martyniuk

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

PACE: Putin illegitimate, Russian Orthodox Church propaganda instrument

The Russian Orthodox Church, led by Patriarch Kirill, has been denounced as an "ideological extension" of Vladimir Putin's "totalitarian regime" in a resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

byAlya Shandra

11 minute read

Analysis

Theologian: Russian Church goes full Nazi with “holy war” on Ukraine

Patriarch Kirill's "decree" blessing Russia's Ukraine invasion brims with "sacred mission" rhetoric from the times of Nazi aggression – yet church leaders worldwide remain deafeningly silent, says Cyril Hovorun

byAlya Shandra

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Sweden’s Security Service says Russian Orthodox Church spies for Kremlin

On 29 February, a Swedish agency for grants for religious institutions said that it would cut support to…

byOlena Mukhina

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Ukraine starts probe into Russian Patriarch Kirill over blessing Ukraine war

The Orthodox leader has repeatedly appeared on Russian state TV channels, backing the Kremlin's invasion and urging believers to unite in the war against Ukraine

byAlya Shandra

A Russian Orthodox priest of the Moscow Patriarchate blesses a Russian S-300 nuclear-capable long range surface-to-air missile system. Photo: Aleksei Pavlischak / TASS

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

SBU: Russian Orthodox Church training mercenaries to fight against Ukraine

A Ukrainian security agency claims the Russian Orthodox Church is creating private military groups to recruit and train mercenaries for combat against Ukraine, says training happening at churches.

byYuri Zoria