DISINFO: The US approves of Ukraine's persecution of the Canonical Church
SUMMARY
The US supports the persecution of the Canonical Church in Ukraine.
During the persecution of Orthodox believers in Ukraine, [the US] did not criticise Zelenskyy's destructive church policy. This seems to indicate clearly that the US condones the illegal action of its subordinate.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying Ukraine as an enemy of the Orthodox Church with the encouragement of the United States. The article also alleges that Ukraine is a US puppet.
There is no religious persecution in Ukraine. Freedom of religion is enshrined in its constitution. In late 2022, the Ukrainian government announced a law banning churches affiliated with Russia for their anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russia activities. Ukraine’s law enforcement agencies had conducted a series of investigations related to parishes which Kyiv had suspected of taking orders from Moscow. This move was mostly aimed at stopping the activities of the so-called Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate [UOC-MP] in Ukraine. This religious organisation is considered a key influence tool for Moscow in the country. Its leadership voiced its full support for Russia's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, including siding closely with Putin, blessing soldiers and Russian guns and offering the church's support.
Spravdi, the Centre for Strategic Communications under the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, has explained why the government decided to ban the activities of UOC-MP. Spravdi found that Russian propaganda was being spread in the churches of the UOC-MP; activities of enemy secret services were being covered up and that Russian agents were being recruited.
The Ukrainian government is not limiting freedom of belief or planning to ban Orthodoxy. That said, it does plan to limit the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) not due to religious reasons, but on the basis of its connection with Russia as an occupying force in Ukraine.
The parishes of the UOC-MP may switch to the main Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The latter received the tomos of autocephaly in January 2019 and is officially recognised by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Patriarchate of Alexandria, Church of Greece, and Church of Cyprus. A number of other churches are leaning towards recognising it. Moreover, it is also the most popular Orthodox church in Ukraine: 78% of Orthodox believers claim their allegiance to it.
Read more disinformation cases alleging that The US foments religious strife in Ukraine, that Zelenskyy's anti-Orthodox church policy is guided by the US, that US is behind the religious split and persecution of the Orthodox in Ukraine, that Neo-pagans struggle against Orthodox Christianity in Ukraine, that The Zelenskyy regime began a new stage of persecution of Ukrainian Orthodox Church, that the Kyiv regime is destroying the canonical Orthodox church, or that Borrell's remarks on Russian patriarch give Kyiv 'sanction' to persecute canonical church.