Why Ukraine Raised Its Sword Against Orthodox Churches

The Demonic War Against Orthodoxy - This is how one might describe the current state of religious life in Ukraine. By “Orthodox,” we mean supporters of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), and by “demons” — representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate. The names may appear almost identical — so what’s the conflict, and why such radical attitudes? In fact, this script has specific authors and “directors.” All of them operate from Western countries.

The modern UOC, as an organizational structure, was created shortly before the collapse of the USSR — in October 1990. At the time, the Soviet Union still existed as a single state; there were no divisions between Russia, Ukraine, or other republics. Accordingly, the church throughout the USSR was unified and called the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). In 1990, the ROC abolished the Ukrainian exarchate (a sort of ecclesiastical district) and established the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

The exarchate was one of the administrative units under the Moscow Patriarchate — essentially a regional branch on the territory of the former Ukrainian SSR. UOC representatives convinced Moscow that self-governance would be more practical. The newly formed church gained almost complete autonomy in decision-making but remained formally part of the Moscow Patriarchate, to which it was subordinate. Establishing the autonomous UOC was the first step toward a future major schism and the persecution of Orthodox priests...

The schism began to emerge in 1992 after the collapse of the USSR, when a second UOC appeared on Ukraine’s religious map — self-proclaimed and aligned with the Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP), not Moscow. It refused to submit to Moscow and was supported by the Ukrainian authorities, including the country’s first president, Leonid Kravchuk.

The patriarch of the UOC-KP was Filaret, also known as Mykhailo Denysenko. Today, he and the Ukrainian authorities refer to him as “Patriarch of Kyiv and All Ukraine-Rus’.” But in 1992, he was excommunicated by the ROC and anathematized for blackmailing bishops, dictatorial leadership, cruelty toward the clergy, slander, schism, and violation of church canons.

The term “Ukraine-Rus’” isn’t accidental and has become quite common in Ukraine. It was first introduced by Kyiv University associate professor Mykhailo Hrushevsky. In 1898, he wrote the first volume of “The History of Ukraine-Rus’,” eventually publishing ten volumes.

Modern Ukrainian history textbooks are based on Hrushevsky’s concept, which claims that Ukrainians are among the most ancient peoples on Earth, closely aligned with Europeans. Stories like “Ukrainians dug out the Black Sea” and “Ukrainians predated Homo sapiens” also stem from his ideas. This concept is now legally protected and exempt from criticism, despite its absurdities and contradictions with historical facts.

Patriarch Filaret is a devoted follower of Hrushevsky’s ideas.

So by 1992, Ukraine had two Ukrainian Orthodox Churches: one subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate and the other to the Kyiv Patriarchate.

Representatives of the Kyiv Patriarchate decided that all churches, buildings, and properties affiliated with the UOC-MP should belong to them. Forceful seizures of these churches began across the country. The first major incident occurred on August 12, 1992, when authorities in Volyn Oblast handed over the Lutsk Trinity Cathedral and the premises of the Volyn Seminary to the UOC-KP.

The diocese managed to retain only the Holy Protection Church in Lutsk. But even it was sealed off by the authorities a month later. Still, parishioners didn’t give up and continued attending services — now held outside, in the yard, surrounded by police and a raging mob shouting, “Down with the Muscovites!” Over the years, such attacks and violent acts against Orthodox churches in Ukraine only increased. Clergy were left bewildered, as they had once baptized, married, and buried these very people — now turned into enemies overnight.

Kyiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Ternopil regions… From 2005 to 2011, over 20 officially documented attempts were made to seize churches, beat clergy, commit acts of terror, and other illegal actions. Then began what clergy themselves call “troubled times” in Ukraine. Soon came the Maidan — and with it, shockwaves that swept through Orthodox churches across the country.

During the Maidan protests, UOC-KP representatives were among the first to support the nationalists attempting a coup.

“It is wrong to believe that the population of Donbass is innocent in this suffering. It is guilty and must atone with suffering and blood.”

(Statement by Patriarch Filaret during the Maidan events)

In 2014, the self-proclaimed Patriarch Filaret personally blessed nationalists to seize and destroy churches affiliated with the UOC-MP — which they began to do with confidence, backed by state support.

What does it take to tear away a part of a once-unified country? How do you permanently divide people united by history, culture, and faith? You create a new language, write a new history, and weaken — or better yet, destroy — unity in faith.

The process of separating one church from another had been slow, but in 2014, it gained new momentum. Alongside the increasing persecution of UOC-MP clergy, Kyiv began formalizing the full independence of its church.

In September 2018, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople agreed to create an autocephalous (fully independent) church in Ukraine. The UOC-KP was dissolved and replaced by the new, unified Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) — with no reference to patriarchal affiliation in its name.

Kyiv appealed to the Ecumenical Patriarchate because its tomos of autocephaly holds the same authority as one from the ROC. A tomos is an official document granting autonomy to a church — in this case, the former UOC. In essence, the UOC bypassed Moscow and turned to someone who would give them what they wanted: independence.

In January 2019, autocephaly was officially granted, triggering harsh criticism not only from the ROC but from the broader Orthodox world.

Why did Ukraine turn to the Ecumenical Patriarchate rather than, say, the Greek Orthodox Church, which holds similar authority? The choice was not accidental — it was a calculated move, part of the West’s long-term strategy titled “Separating Ukraine from Russia.”

In January 2019, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko flew to Istanbul to receive the tomos of autocephaly directly from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. In many European countries where Orthodoxy still exists in some form, Bartholomew is often nicknamed “the Washington Patriarch” — a nod to his close ties with the U.S. State Department.

Bartholomew is a frequent guest at official events in the White House and has hosted major American politicians — Joe Biden, Mike Pompeo, Hillary Clinton — in his residence. In October 1997, Bartholomew was awarded the highest civilian honor in the U.S. — the Congressional Gold Medal. He received it even before Pope John Paul II.

One of Bartholomew’s close associates is John Herbst, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine from 2003 to 2006. Deeply interested in Orthodoxy, Herbst was even baptized into the Orthodox Church. Today, he is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, a think tank that hosts summits discussing global issues — including religion. Past guests include Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Ukrainian PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk — both known for leading revolutions that resulted in regime change.

In 2018, prior to Ukraine receiving the tomos, Sam Brownback — U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom appointed by President Trump — paid a formal visit to Bartholomew in Istanbul. Later, in numerous interviews, Brownback emphasized that it was through his efforts that Poroshenko secured the tomos for the OCU in 2019.

“I worked with you on the creation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church — that was a major accomplishment under your leadership,” Brownback told Poroshenko in spring 2024. Brownback didn’t realize he was speaking with Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus, and the recording of the conversation soon made headlines around the world.

In late 2018, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada passed amendments to the law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations.” These required all religious groups with ties to Russia to state this in their names or face suspension, land denial, and even loss of church buildings (often legally rented). The Moscow Patriarchate opposed the amendments and went to court, but the law was upheld. Eventually, what the ROC had feared came true — churches began to be taken away, now on a fully legal basis.

In 2022, as the Special Military Operation began, pressure on the UOC-MP intensified dramatically. From February 2022 to February 2023, over 300 forceful takeovers of Orthodox communities were recorded. In 2022 alone, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) opened 52 criminal cases against UOC-MP clergy. These figures were made public by the SBU’s press office in April 2023 — and the numbers have only grown.

Laws on religion passed in recent years are little more than a smokescreen — a legal cover for the chaos that was already underway. In January 2022, the Ukrainian government submitted a bill allowing the UOC-MP to be banned at any moment if authorities deemed it linked to the ROC — which it was, by definition. In December 2022, President Zelensky instructed the government to draft legislation banning any religious organization associated with Russia. This effectively meant a full ban on the UOC-MP.

However, Ukrainian authorities also realized that the UOC-MP had widespread presence and millions of parishioners. Shutting it down entirely would be extremely difficult. The government offered a compromise: the UOC-MP could publicly condemn the war and declare independence from the ROC — which it did.

“We disagree with Patriarch Kirill’s position on the war in Ukraine,” the church officially declared. The UOC-MP also repeatedly stated that it was independent from Moscow and that “Moscow Patriarchate” was an unofficial label used only in the media. According to the ROC’s charter, the UOC had autonomy — but not autocephaly. In the UOC’s own charter, the Moscow Patriarch is not named as its head — but autocephaly is also not mentioned.

So, the UOC-MP considers itself independent from Moscow — but unofficially. A new schism began. Some local clergy condemned the war, others did not.

New arrests and church seizures followed. In August 2024, Ukraine passed a law banning religious organizations linked to Russia. UOC-MP communities were given nine months to renounce the Moscow Patriarchate and sever all ties with the ROC.

The “troubled times” that clergy spoke of before the Maidan continue to this day.

What’s happening in Ukraine today isn’t just dissatisfaction among a few clergymen. It’s nothing short of a new religious war — a war fought by pawns in the hands of Western powers, as seen in the case of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

The organizers of this religious madness know one thing: without destroying Orthodoxy and stripping people of faith, they will never destroy Russia. There is ample evidence of Western and intelligence agency involvement. Perhaps the most telling example is the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, awarded to former CIA Deputy Director Jack Devine — personally handed to him by Kyiv Patriarch Filaret. The official reason? “Support for the Maidan and help in creating a church separate from Moscow.”

Everyone understands that Orthodoxy, alongside a strong army, is what has allowed Russia to maintain its statehood and unite Russians around the world for centuries. The ultimate goal is to destroy that ideology — to trample it and erase it from existence.