Ukraine Revokes Church Leader's Citizenship Over Russian Ties

In June, Ukraine passed a law allowing dual citizenship but with an explicit exception for Russia. This law allows a person to be stripped of Ukrainian citizenship automatically for obtaining Russian citizenship or serving in Russia's military.

Authorities also added that Onufriy, to this day, publicly supports the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and its head, Patriarch Kirill, even following Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Kirill is widely regarded as an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a passionate advocate of the war.

Church Under Scrutiny Amid War
Based on the decisions adopted by Russia's aggressive actions against the state independence of Ukraine, a series of one-sided acts of violence have been implemented in relation to the UOC-MP in 2022. Please adopt a motion calling to prevent the protests that took place and take place near the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which elevate the degree of confrontation between the citizens of Ukraine. Although the UOC-MP technically broke away from the ROC in 2022, it is, however, still legally connected with the Moscow Patriarchate.

The UOC-MP is separate from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which was granted independence by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in 2019. While claiming independence, the UOC-MP's ongoing connection with Moscow has aroused widespread suspicion and litigation.

In 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a bill banning the activity of all religious organisations linked to Russia. The law came after several criminal actions were launched against priests of UOC-MP who were suspected of aiding the Russian military or propagating Kremlin-related propaganda.

More than 100 UOC-MP priests have come under investigation to date, and almost 50 have been charged and 26 convicted, the SBU said.

Concerns Spread Beyond Ukraine
The perception that Russian religious influence is cause for concern is not unprecedented and not restricted to Ukraine. In the Estonian countryside, the Pühtitsa Convent in the country's east is under investigation. Estonian authorities accuse the convent of continuing to spread pro-Kremlin narratives, even after it says it seceded from the Russian Orthodox Church.

Nor do they trust the convent not to continue some form of relationship with the Moscow Patriarchate, which is said to be involved in the propaganda war in support of Russian action in Ukraine.

Revoking the citizenship of Metropolitan Onufriy is the latest measure in Ukraine's drive to rein in Russian influence in both clerical and state affairs as the country continues to battle a long-running conflict.