KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday signed a law banning the Russian-linked Orthodox Church in Ukraine, a decision officially published on the Ukrainian parliament’s website.
This move marks a significant step in Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to sever ties with the Russian church, a process that has intensified since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The law was approved on Kyiv’s Independence Day from the Soviet Union and two and a half years into the ongoing Russia war.
Zelensky stated that the law would bolster Ukraine’s independence and, in a speech on Saturday, declared, “The Ukrainian Orthodox Church today is taking a step toward liberation from Moscow’s devils.”
Although the Ukrainian Orthodox Church officially separated from the Moscow Patriarchate in 2022, Ukrainian officials have accused its clerics of remaining loyal to Russia.
The Russian Orthodox Church, led by Patriarch Kirill, has openly supported Russia’s invasion and is closely aligned with President Vladimir Putin.
