The so-called Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) has been officially recognized as affiliated with a foreign religious organization whose activities are banned in Ukraine. The decision, issued by the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, follows an investigation that confirmed the structure’s continued ties to the Russian Orthodox Church.

On 27 August, Ukraine’s State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) adopted a formal decision to classify the Kyiv Metropolia of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as affiliated with a foreign religious organization whose activities are prohibited in Ukraine. The designation was issued under Article 3 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Religious Organizations.”

The decision came after a detailed investigation into the nature of the Metropolia’s connections. Authorities found clear indicators of affiliation with the Russian Orthodox Church — a body already banned in Ukraine for its role in undermining national sovereignty and serving Russian state interests under the guise of religion.

The finding constitutes a direct violation of Ukraine’s Law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations.” In response, the DESS issued an official instruction ordering the Kyiv Metropolia to eliminate this violation.

Moscow’s clergy refused to comply

Last month, DESS found that the UOC is still affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church despite claims to the contrary. The service warned the head of the UOC MP, Metropolitan Onufrii, that unless his church showed clear, official proof of cutting ties with Moscow by 18 August—including formal decisions, public rejections, and a complete break in practice—it would be treated as still under Russian control, as investigators had already found it continues to follow Moscow’s rules, liturgy, and leadership despite its claims of independence.

Onufrii, reportedly issued a letter stating his refusal to comply with the order. This open defiance removed any basis for revising or withdrawing the official warning under Ukrainian law.

In accordance with Part 15 of Article 16 of the Law, and in the absence of evidence that the violation was corrected or that the order was mistakenly issued, the DESS moved forward. It officially recognized the Kyiv Metropolia of the UOC as affiliated with a foreign religious organization whose activity is banned on Ukrainian territory.

Legal action formalized

The final ruling was sealed in Order No. Н-127/11, signed by DESS head Viktor Yelenskyi. The order is legally grounded in Article 5-1 and Part Seventeen of Article 16 of the Law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations.” The basis for the order is a memo submitted by the Head of the Religious Affairs Department, dated 27 August 2025.

The order mandates that the organizational and communications department publish the decision on the official DESS website within three days.

Metropolitan Onufrii of Kyiv, the primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, has had his Ukrainian citizenship suspended by a presidential decree, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on July 2.

The SBU said it had established that Onufrii, also known by his secular name, Orest Berezovskyi, voluntarily received Russian citizenship in 2002 and failed to inform Ukrainian authorities of the fact. The new Ukrainian law on multiple citizenship lists holding a Russian passport as grounds for the removal of Ukrainian citizenship.

The security agency also said Onufrii has maintained ties with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and actively resisted Ukraine's efforts to secure ecclesiastical independence from Moscow and its leader, Patriarch Kirill.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) has faced growing scrutiny and public criticism in Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, with many officials accusing it of maintaining loyalty to Moscow and undermining Ukraine's sovereignty.

The Moscow-linked church is separate from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which was granted autocephaly (autonomy) by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople in 2019.

"Despite the full-scale invasion, Berezovsky (Onufrii) continues to support the policies of the Russian Orthodox Church and its leadership, particularly Patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev)," the SBU said in a statement.

Zelensky signed a law in 2024 banning the activities of religious organizations affiliated with Russia. The law was widely seen as targeting the UOC-MP, which remains legally subordinate to the Moscow-based ROC despite its claim to have severed ties.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, over 100 UOC-MP clergy members have come under criminal investigation for alleged collaboration with Russian forces or spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda, according to the SBU. Nearly 50 have been charged, and courts have issued verdicts in 26 cases.

The UOC-MP continues to insist that it operates within Ukrainian law and that its 2022 declaration of independence from Moscow was genuine, though many in Ukraine view it as purely symbolic and lacking credibility.

No God But Theirs

The Kyiv IndependentDanylo Mokryk

Violent clashes broke out on June 17 outside the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Chernivtsi, a city in southwestern Ukraine, as hundreds of people attempted to force their way into the church following a long-running dispute over its religious affiliation, Suspilne reported.

The unrest reflects Ukraine's broader struggle to sever ties with the Russian-affiliated Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) amid the ongoing war, which was extensively used by Moscow as a propaganda tool.

According to public broadcaster Suspilne, the crowd gathered to assert control over the church, which had recently voted to switch allegiance from the UOC-MP to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) — an autocephalous (autonomous) Ukrainian church not affiliated with Moscow.

The police were reportedly deployed to prevent escalation but were eventually overwhelmed as protesters breached the church fence and entered the grounds. Officers deployed tear gas, and medics reported treating around 30 people for injuries.

The confrontation came after local authorities re-registered the Holy Spirit Cathedral and two other major parishes in Chernivtsi under the jurisdiction of the OCU earlier this year. Bishop Feognost of the OCU confirmed to Suspilne that the day marked the first Ukrainian-language prayer service in the cathedral, a significant symbol of the national church’s growing influence.

The dispute stems from decades of tension between Orthodox churches in Ukraine and has intensified since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. The UOC-MP, while claiming to have severed ties with Moscow, remains legally subordinate to the Russian Orthodox Church, which is seen as a close ally of the Kremlin.

Ukrainian lawmakers passed legislation in August 2024 banning religious organizations with ties to Russia. The law, signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, gave such organizations nine months to cut all legal and institutional connections with Moscow. Over 100 UOC-MP clergymen have been investigated for suspected collaboration with Russian forces, with dozens facing criminal charges.

Local media say the scene outside the cathedral grew tense as both UOC-MP and OCU supporters gathered. Some attempted to tear down gates while chanting "shame!" and others blocked roads, disrupting traffic. The police temporarily restricted access to the site and launched an investigation.

Suspilne reported that Metropolitan Meletii of the UOC-MP later entered the cathedral after the gates were forced open. Worshippers not aligned with the OCU began a service inside, prompting further clashes. Fire extinguishers were reportedly used inside the building to push back demonstrators.

Chernivtsi Mayor Roman Klichuk initially welcomed the transition of the church to the OCU as a "historic day" for Ukraine's national church, but later deleted the post from his social media page, Suspilne said.

The Moscow-linked church claims it is the victim of religious persecution and insists that it operates lawfully. Critics argue its claims of independence are symbolic and that it remains deeply tied to Russia's religious and political structures.

While Orthodox Christianity remains freely practiced and the most widespread religion in Ukraine, the government and a growing number of citizens view the UOC-MP as a potential security threat.

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The Kyiv IndependentDanylo Mokryk