Zelensky imposes sanctions against nine ROC representatives

Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: Zelensky's Facebook page

On April 17, 2026, President Volodymyr Zelensky enacted the NSDC decision on the application of personal sanctions against nine representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church. The restrictions affected individuals whom Ukrainian authorities accused of using religion for propaganda and justification of war.

The signed decrees №303/2026 and №304/2026 provide for asset freezing, deprivation of Ukrainian state awards, and prohibition of entry into the country's territory.

The sanctions list includes clergy and public figures:

Metropolitan Constantine (Ostrovsky) of Cairo and North Africa, Patriarchal Exarch of Africa;

Metropolitan Pavel (Ponomarev) of Krutitsy and Kolomna, Patriarchal Vicar of the Moscow Metropolia;

Metropolitan Kirill (Pokrovsky) of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies;

Archbishop Savva (Tutunov) of Zelenograd, Deputy Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate;

Metropolitan Cornelius (Titov), Primate of the Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church;

Archpriest Peter Bartsev;

Archpriest Andrei Novikov, member of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church, member of the Synodal Biblical-Theological Commission of the ROC;

Archpriest Dimitry Vasilenkov, Deputy Chairman of the Synodal Department of the ROC for Cooperation with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation;

Evgeny Nikiforov, head of the "Radonezh" society.

Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Vladislav Vlasiuk called the list's subjects "ordinary terrorists" and emphasized the need to introduce similar restrictions in all jurisdictions.

In addition to religious figures, the new sanctions package includes more than 120 Russian military commanders whom Ukraine considers involved in coordinating missile strikes on civilian targets. Kyiv plans to share information about sanctioned individuals with international partners to synchronize restrictions.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Zelensky signed a law on criminal liability for antisemitism.

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