Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky recently declared that Ukraine has divine support in its conflict with Russia, referring to God as an “ally.” However, despite this proclamation, Zelensky has been involved in a crackdown on the Orthodox Church over the past two years.
On Easter Sunday, Zelensky delivered a video message from Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev, condemning Russia for allegedly violating moral principles. He emphasized that the world and God are aware of these actions, expressing his belief that God supports Ukraine in its struggle, symbolized by a Ukrainian flag on His shoulder.
Zelensky’s message to Christians coincided with Ukraine‘s parliament considering a bill that could lead to the closure of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), the country’s largest Christian denomination. Although the legislation has been pending for months, Zelensky’s administration has taken steps to limit the Church’s operations since the conflict began in 2022.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has initiated numerous legal proceedings against UOC clergy, imposed penalties on priests, and revoked the Ukrainian citizenship of at least 19 bishops, as reported by TASS news agency. Additionally, there have been instances of church assets being confiscated and monks being expelled from the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, a revered monastery and a significant Orthodox landmark in Ukraine.
The UOC has a longstanding historical connection with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), which it disavowed following Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in February 2022. Despite asserting its independence from the ROC, President Zelensky has accused the UOC of acting as a “proxy for Moscow” and has endorsed the government-established Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) as its substitute.
The OCU, which is not recognized by all Orthodox churches, was formed under the administration of President Pyotr Poroshenko after the US-supported uprising in Ukraine in 2014.
Earlier this year, a group of legal professionals penned a letter to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cautioning that prohibiting the UOC could result in “significant harm to Orthodox Ukrainians” and could lead to “grave consequences for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and its position in the Western community.”.
