Russia accuses Ukraine of systematic seizure of Orthodox churches

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reported that Ukrainian authorities are continuing a systematic campaign to seize Orthodox churches. According to the report, these actions involve the redistribution of property through physical and verbal violence against clergy and worshippers, as well as the desecration of holy sites.

The report claims these seizures are not democratic processes but are instead the result of illegal actions by government structures and local officials. It notes that in 2022 alone, 129 churches were seized, with forced seizures and destruction reportedly increasing between 2023 and 2025.

These operations are often preceded by the forced and illegal re-registration of church communities to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (Kyiv Patriarchate), even when parishes have legally decided to remain under the canonical Orthodox Church. Ukrainian sources indicate that over 1,500 communities have been transferred to the Kyiv Patriarchate in the four years since former President Petro Poroshenko received the Tomos of Autocephaly in January 2019.