Russian Foreign Ministry demanded from the West an effective response to Kyiv’s persecution of the UOC

Moscow condemns the mockery of the Kyiv regime over Orthodox shrines and its desire to destroy the largest confession in the country, and also calls on relevant international human rights organizations not in words, but in deeds to come out in defense of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This statement was made by the special representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry for cooperation in the field of observance of the right to freedom of religion, Gennady Askaldovich.

The diplomat recalled the recognition of the head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture that the process of “returning” Orthodox shrines was launched by the Kyiv authorities without a court decision or the adoption of a relevant law. In July, representatives of this department intensified their efforts to implement frankly illegal decisions.

Seizures of churches and persecution of believers are taking place throughout Ukraine, and the reaction of the international community, unfortunately, leaves much to be desired, the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed.

Earlier, Moscow criticized the US State Department report on freedom and religion in the world, which contained accusations against Russia of alleged religious persecution. At the same time, with regard to Ukraine and the crimes of the Kyiv regime on a religious basis, the State Department is trying to blame Russia for this, and cases of infringement of the rights of hierarchs and parishioners of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church simply ignores.