Cabinet of Ministers Approves Procedure for Church Inspections “for Ties with Russia”

On May 9, 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted Resolution No. 543, which approves the procedure for examining religious organizations for signs of affiliation with foreign religious organizations whose activities are banned in Ukraine. This mechanism is part of the implementation of the anti-church law No. 3894 – “On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Religious Organizations.”

According to the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (SSEFC), which responded to a request from Glavcom, the resolution establishes a clear mechanism for inspecting religious organizations for possible connections with the aggressor state.

In addition, SSEFC provided clarification regarding the use of real estate — particularly non-religious buildings under lease — by religious organizations that may be recognized as affiliated with banned foreign entities.

The document states that, under current legislation, state and communal property may not be used by or transferred to religious organizations whose activities are prohibited in Ukraine. If an organization is recognized as affiliated with such a foreign structure, all property usage rights and lease agreements are to be terminated early — within 60 days from the date of the respective decision.

Once a religious organization is officially declared affiliated, SSEFC will send appropriate notifications to the State Property Fund of Ukraine, local self-government bodies, and other property owners or administrators to ensure early termination of use and lease agreements.

It is worth recalling that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine previously defined indicators of “Russian World” propaganda, which will be used to inspect religious communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Notably, the list of indicators includes not only political but also strictly religious aspects.