DECEMBER 3 (Portal) – Ukraine imposes sanctions on 10 senior clerics linked to a pro-Moscow church on the grounds that they have agreed to cooperate with Russian occupation authorities or justify Moscow’s invasion, it said the security service on Saturday.
The announcement is the latest in a series of moves against a Ukrainian branch of the Orthodox Church historically linked to Moscow. The Orthodox Church in Russia itself supports the war.
In a statement, the security services said the 10 clergymen had agreed in various ways to cooperate with the occupation authorities, promote pro-Russian narratives and justify Russian military aggression in Ukraine.
Most of the clergy — all either members of the church or closely associated with it — live in Russian-controlled areas or abroad, the service said.
“The Security Service of Ukraine continues to carry out extensive work to protect Ukrainian statehood and will continue to expose individuals who threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” it said.
The Ukrainian branch officially severed ties with the Russian Orthodox Church last May, but is still distrusted by many Ukrainians and accused of secret collaboration with Russia.
The sanctions, which will last five years, will freeze the assets of those on the list, prevent them from exporting capital out of Ukraine and prevent them from owning land.
The security service has also conducted multiple raids on parishes and buildings connected to the church, saying it has always complied with Ukrainian laws.
Orthodox Christians make up the majority of Ukraine’s 43 million people. Since the collapse of Soviet rule, there has been fierce competition between the Moscow-affiliated church and an independent Ukrainian church proclaimed shortly after independence.
Reporting by David Ljunggren; Edited by Sandra Painter
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