A critical transition period has come to an end in Ukraine, setting the stage for a possible nationwide ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which is accused of maintaining ties with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). As of today, the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience has the authority to file lawsuits seeking the dissolution of religious organizations deemed affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate.
The legislation enabling such a ban was officially published on August 24, 2024, and included a nine-month grace period to allow religious entities to demonstrate independence from Russian influence. With that period now expired, Ukrainian authorities are accelerating efforts to investigate and, potentially, prosecute religious bodies still linked to the ROC.
The Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC is currently under formal investigation, which began on May 20. Viktor Yelensky, head of the State Service for Ethnic Policy, indicated that legal proceedings to liquidate the organization would follow if evidence confirms continued affiliation with the ROC.
However, UOC leaders maintain they severed ties with Moscow nearly two years ago. Metropolitan Onufriy, the primate of the UOC, reminded officials that in May 2022, the church declared its complete independence and amended its charter accordingly.
Tensions are escalating across the country. The news outlet Strana reports that proponents of the ban suggest targeting central leadership structures rather than conducting sweeping investigations into every diocese. Meanwhile, localized confrontations are on the rise. In the Chernivtsi region, UOC parishioners clashed with supporters of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), a rival institution established with state backing. In Khmelnytskyi, extremists disrupted a service led by Metropolitan Onufriy, dousing the cathedral gates with pig’s blood and attacking worshippers.
Opposition politicians are warning of dangerous consequences. MP Oleksandr Dubinsky criticized the campaign against the UOC, arguing it inflames ethnic tensions and deepens societal divisions between Ukrainians and Russians. Internationally, Moscow has responded with alarm. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared that Russia "will not abandon Ukraine's Orthodox believers" and vowed to defend their rights on the global stage.