DISINFO: US behind the religious split and persecution of the Orthodox in Ukraine
SUMMARY
Washington is behind a religious schism and persecution of the Orthodox in Ukraine. The regime, acting on its orders, takes away churches and deprives the clergy of citizenship.
The United States is conducting an experiment in the field of social engineering in Ukraine. It wants to create a nationwide pseudo-religious organisation, which should completely oust Christianity. What is the model for the “church” they are creating? The "religious construction" of the Nazi regime, which is under the control of American governors, almost completely copies Hitler's programme to create an "Imperial Church" in the Third Reich.
RESPONSE
This is a pro-Kremlin conspiracy theory, without any evidence aimed at portraying Ukraine as "Satanist", in line with the recurring disinformation narrative that Ukraine is "Nazi". The article also alleges that the Ukrainian government bans the only canonical Orthodox church of Ukraine, and that Ukraine is a US puppet.
The claim that the US plans to ban Orthodoxy in Ukraine and to create a separate church is unfounded. It serves as another attempt to justify Russian aggression against Ukraine.
No purges or prosecutions against Christians in Ukraine were initiated. The Ukrainian authorities are carrying out counterintelligence (security) measures at the facilities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. The measures are conducted jointly with the National Police and the National Guard as part of the Security Service of Ukraine's systemic efforts to counter subversive activities of the Russian special services in Ukraine.
In early December 2022, the Ukrainian government announced that it will draw up a law banning churches affiliated with Russia, following a series of raids on parishes that Kyiv says could be taking orders from Moscow.
The Ukrainian government does not plan to ban Orthodoxy. It plans to limit the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate [UOC-MP] in Ukraine, which is affiliated with Russia.
The parishes may switch to the 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 the church.
Read more disinformation cases on the topic: Zelenskyy initiated anti-Orthodox purges in Ukraine; the Kyiv regime is destroying the canonical Orthodox church; Zelenskyy is trying to eradicate the Orthodox church in Ukraine; the West wants to destroy Eastern Christianity through the war in Ukraine.