Yelensky: Ukraine Demonstrates a High Level of Religious Freedom

A meeting took place at the National Academy of the Security Service of Ukraine between cadets, faculty members, and the Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, Viktor Yelensky. The lecture focused on the importance of religion for security and stability on both global and national levels. The details of the dialogue were published on the official website of the State Service.

Yelensky emphasized the importance of religion in global politics, noting that religious movements can significantly influence international conflicts. He provided historical examples, including the Islamic Revolution in Iran, as well as other instances where religion played a crucial role in conflicts between the USA and the USSR.

He paid particular attention to the situation in Ukraine, stressing that despite the ongoing war, the country demonstrates a high level of religious freedom, which is confirmed by Pew Research Center data. Yelensky stated that Ukraine guarantees freedom of religion, and this freedom «is not only the foundation of stability but also an important factor in national security.»

The Head of the State Service noted that against the backdrop of «Russia’s attempts to use the religious factor to undermine Ukrainian statehood, Ukraine is actively countering manipulations from the aggressor.»

The rector of the National Academy of the SSU, Andriy Chernyak, emphasized that understanding the influence of religion on national security is crucial for future officers of the Security Service of Ukraine.

It is worth noting that President Volodymyr Zelensky, who signed the controversial anti-church law No. 3894 aimed at banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, claims that no one in Ukraine «has banned or closed anyone.» The president asserted that there is no pressure on the Church in the country, and the government is simply eliminating Russia’s control over religious structures within Ukraine.