The Russian Orthodox Church has denounced the recent decision by the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (AUCCRO) to support a bill that seeks to ban the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, an advisor to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, labeled the decision as illegitimate, arguing that it was made without the participation of the UOC, which is a member of the council.

On August 17, the AUCCRO expressed its support for the bill during a videoconference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This bill, which is in its final stages of consideration, would enable the prohibition of any religious organizations affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church and Russia, intensifying the pressure on the UOC.

Archpriest Balashov emphasized that according to the AUCCRO’s charter, decisions must be made by consensus among all council members. He pointed out that the UOC, the largest religious denomination in Ukraine in terms of both the number of believers and religious communities, was not invited to the meeting, as its representatives were expected to oppose the law aimed at the Church's dissolution.

"According to the regulations of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (Article 11), all decisions of this body are to be made based on the consensus of the leaders or authorized representatives of all religious organizations that are members of the council. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is officially listed as one of these members. Its representatives were not invited to the meeting, knowing they would not support a law designed to destroy the Church," Balashov stated, as reported by TASS.

Bitterly criticizing the decision, Balashov also suggested that many religious leaders in Ukraine might feel ashamed for supporting the bill, given the current pressure from Ukrainian authorities. He expressed doubts that Western countries, despite their support for Ukraine, would respond to this situation, even though the bill contradicts human rights and international law.

This development underscores the increasing tension between the Ukrainian government and the UOC, as the proposed legislation could severely impact the Church's operations across Ukraine.