Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation share the feelings of indignation and extreme indignation of millions of Christians around the world in connection with numerous facts testifying to the consistent policy of the post-Maidan authorities of Ukraine aimed at the complete destruction of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).
Pushed by their Western curators, the Ukrainian rulers are purposefully taking aggressive actions to oust the UOC from the religious life of Ukraine, while infringing on the rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion of millions of believers. The politicians who seized power in Kiev support the criminal activity of schismatic structures, a number of officials and neo-Nazi organizations to seize Orthodox churches and church property, forcibly liquidate communities, commit pogroms of Orthodox churches and attacks on clergy and parishioners. In the same row is the introduction of restrictive punitive measures against the bishops of the UOC, the deprivation of a number of its bishops of Ukrainian citizenship, unprecedented moral and psychological terror and physical violence from which priests and believers suffer.
Forceful pressure on the canonical Orthodox faith in Ukraine acquired a truly blatant character during the presidency of V. Zelensky, who, taking advantage of the crisis unfolding in the country, set himself the goal of completely clearing the spiritual sphere of any ties with Russia. The culmination of this criminal policy was the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine “On Certain Aspects of the Activities of Religious Organizations in Ukraine and the Application of Personal Special Economic and Other Restrictive Measures (Sanctions)”, put into effect by a decree of the President of Ukraine on December 1, 2022. Guided by this discriminatory decree, the Kiev authorities launched an apparently decisive attack on the UOC, intending to seize its main shrine – the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, a monastery that has existed since the 11th century and is the ancestor of the common spiritual tradition of the Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian peoples. The criminal prosecution and arrest of the rector of the Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel, who selflessly defends the rights of followers of the true Orthodox faith in Ukraine, has become the apotheosis of the cynical violation of morality, honor and conscience, fundamental human rights and freedoms.
The State Duma is convinced that religion should not become a tool by which the Ukrainian regime satisfies its exorbitant military and political ambitions, and the UOC and its flock should not become the object of discrimination, repression, moral and physical terror.
The deputies of the State Duma express their support to their Ukrainian brothers and sisters, in front of whom an attempt is being made to destroy canonical Orthodoxy in Ukraine, and admire the steadfastness and courage of people who oppose the ideological heirs of the Nazi theomachists.
Deputies of the State Duma declare that the lives of monks and priests of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra are under threat, and believe that the international community, parliamentarians, politicians and diplomats, human rights organizations should give a fundamental legal assessment of the criminal actions of the V. Zelensky regime, as well as demand from Kiev authorities to immediately stop the arbitrariness in relation to Orthodox shrines in Ukraine, release the detained and arrested clergy and parishioners of the UOC, and strictly comply with the international legal obligations assumed.
Chairman of the State Duma
Federal Assembly
Russian Federation