On Thursday, the Ukrainian parliament's Committee for Humanitarian Affairs and Information Policy approved a draft law.

This aims to protect national security and religious freedom.

The legislative initiative was first adopted last October.

It now includes a clause "In view of the fact that the Russian Orthodox Church is an ideological continuation of the regime of the aggressor state, complicit in war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the name of the Russian Federation and the ideology of the 'Russian world', the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine are prohibited".

The draft law targets the UOC, which has around 10,000 parishes, accusing it of abusing religion and spreading Kremlin propaganda.

Outrage in Ukraine

Despite the UOC declaring its separation from the Moscow Patriarchate in May 2022, Ukrainian authorities still recognise the church as part of it.

The Russian Orthodox Church also maintains that the UOC remains under its jurisdiction.

The alleged support of the Russian war effort by UOC clergy has sparked outrage in Ukraine.

Some bishops and priests have been imprisoned or handed over to Russia in prisoner exchanges.

Despite this, the UOC leadership prays for the Ukrainian army's defence and donates money to support it.

Russia accuses Ukraine of persecuting Orthodox Christians and violating religious freedom, with the EU and USA also raising concerns. Robert Amsterdam, a lawyer for the UOC, warned that the law could hinder Ukraine's NATO and EU accession.

He said it could also damage relations with future US administrations.

The Ukrainian government has long supported the Orthodox Church of Ukraine which was established in 2018 with the backing of Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople.

Surveys indicate that most Ukrainians align with the OCU.

Sources

Katholisch

CathNews New Zealand

The number of registered religious organisations has climbed by over 3,000, according to Kyiv's State Service on Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience.

The increase brings the total number of religious organisations in Ukraine to 36,195.

A key change is the movement of around 1,000 parishes from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).

Despite this shift, the Moscow-aligned church retains more religious organisations, with 29% compared to the OCU's 22%.

However, these statistics account primarily for organisational structures, not individual identification or church attendance.

A 2023 survey by the Razumkov Center reveals that only 5.6% of Ukrainians identify with the Moscow Patriarchate while 42.2% align with the OCU.

Additionally, 11% of Ukrainians identify with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and nearly 40% affiliate with other Christian denominations or none.

This data suggests a decline in the influence of the Moscow church, with its hierarchy maintaining parishes that few attend.

Christian denomination growth

The real religious growth has been in other Christian denominations, particularly Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, reflecting a broader religious diversification in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian government has supported the OCU and actively opposed the UOC-MP which has been more vocal in its support for President Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine.

This state backing has contributed to the OCU's growth and the shifting religious landscape in Ukraine.

The Kremlin views the independence of the Kyiv church as a direct threat to its influence.

Moscow is particularly concerned about the spread of Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, as these denominations are seen as more antagonistic to Russian interests.

This concern reflects historical fears such as celebrating Prince Alexander Nevsky's alliance with the Mongol Horde against the Roman Catholic crusades.

Commentators like Vladislav Inozemtsev argue that Putin's efforts to reassert control are unintentionally causing an ethno-social crisis.

The changing religious identities in Ukraine signify a fundamental shift that could affect Russia's own religious and state dynamics.

Sources

Eurasia Review

CathNews New Zealand