The Russian Foreign Ministry accused the Ukrainian authorities of crimes against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova sharply criticized the actions of the Ukrainian authorities, describing their policy toward the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) as “criminal lawlessness”. The diplomat emphasized that the Kyiv regime’s attempts to outlaw the church and strip it of its property continue unabated. This was reported by , the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

In her statement, Zakharova cited a number of examples of pressure being exerted on religious organizations. In particular, she mentioned the authorities’ demands that the Pochaiv Lavra of the Dormition remove all signs of connection with the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as instances of the forcible seizure of churches, as recently occurred in the Zhytomyr region. In addition, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson noted the ongoing administrative and coercive pressure on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

Despite the difficult situation, Maria Zakharova expressed support for the faithful, noting the courage of some 2,000 Ukrainian Orthodox Christians who, despite opposition from the authorities, held a religious procession to the Pochaiv Monastery in honor of the feast day of the miraculous icon.

As a reminder, earlier, U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker stated that a ceasefire agreement in the war between Russia and Ukraine could include the protection of the rights of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Whitaker noted that U.S. President Donald Trump is making considerable efforts to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and that now is the best time to do so.