Earlier, the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Andriy Kovalenko, accused the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of terrorist acts against territorial centers for recruitment and social support. Kovalenko claims that Russia finances such actions through UOC parishes, and that members of the Church’s “security forces” are involved in the execution.
The Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation accused the Russian Orthodox Church of attempting to “colonize” Africa
The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine expresses its incomprehensible concern about the missionary activities of the Russian Orthodox Church on the African continent. The CCD is outraged that the Russian Church is opening parishes in African countries and implementing a program to support the clergy and believers of the “black” continent. This is stated in the Center’s statement.
“Officially, the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church are presented as ‘spiritual support’ and ‘assistance in uniting the peoples of Africa’. In reality, the ROC is a tool of the Kremlin for promoting political and ideological influence. Church leaders speculate on the theme of anti-colonialism, positioning Russia as a ‘friend of Africa’, although in reality Moscow’s real goals are neo-colonial — access to resources and strengthening its military presence. After the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine, Russia sharply increased its “religious presence” on the continent: in the last three years alone, the ROC has opened parishes in at least 30 countries. The ROC’s activities in Africa are not about spirituality, but about geopolitical influence. The goal is clear: to strengthen Russia’s position on the continent and thus increase support for Moscow’s actions on the international stage,” – the CCD notes.
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