Ukrainian lawmakers on Tuesday paved the way for a ban against a Russia-linked minority Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) which Kyiv has cast as complicit in Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reports.
A majority of Ukrainians are Orthodox Christians, but the faith is split into one branch traditionally tied to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and an independent church, recognized by the world Orthodox hierarchy since 2019.
A bill passed into law in parliament on Tuesday bans the Russian Orthodox Church on Ukrainian territory, and a government commission will assemble a list of “affiliated” organizations whose activities are not allowed. The list is expected to target the UOC specifically.
The decision to ban them would be made by a court.
A total of 265 lawmakers voted in favor of the bill, with 29 against, parliamentarian Yaroslav Zhelezniak said on Telegram.
The legislation still needs a signature from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who described the move earlier this month as “aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s spiritual independence”.
He said the law should guarantee “there will be no manipulation of the Ukrainian Church from Moscow”.
