In Kyiv, authorities held a forum to discredit UOC communities in Europe

Forum "ROC in Europe: Infrastructure of Russian Influence." Photo: Facebook of the Institute for National Resilience and Security

A forum titled "ROC in Europe: Infrastructure of Russian Influence" was held in Kyiv, organized by the Institute for National Resilience and Security. This was reported on the official page of the institute.

During the presentation of the research, its authors stated that several jurisdictions linked to the Moscow Patriarchate operate in Europe, including parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. According to the researchers' estimates, up to 130 UOC communities are active in EU countries, which together with ROC and ROCOR parishes encompass approximately 1–1.2 million believers.

In the published statement, the organizers claim that the influence of these communities is allegedly exercised not only through religious activity, but also through humanitarian aid, educational projects, work with children, and the creation of a familiar spiritual environment for Ukrainian refugees. At the same time, UOC parishes are described as structures that may "disguise themselves as Ukrainian communities."

Participants in the forum included Deputy Head of the Office of the President Olena Kovalska, Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience Viktor Yelensky, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Main Intelligence Directorate, the Cabinet of Ministers, the Security and Defense Forces, the academic community, as well as OCU cleric Serhiy Berezhny.

As the organizers reported, participants discussed issues of "protecting Ukrainian identity" and countering Russian influence among Ukrainians residing in European countries.

Commenting on the results of the forum, UOC cleric Deacon Andriy Hlushchenko stated that such events are aimed at discrediting the parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which were established to provide spiritual support to Ukrainian refugees following the outbreak of the full-scale war.

According to him, at the forum UOC communities were referred to as structures that "mimic the Ukrainian church" and allegedly "steal Ukrainian refugees." The deacon also drew attention to the fact that simultaneously there was discussion of establishing a full-fledged OCU diocese in Europe, despite the restrictions contained in the OCU Tomos.

"We are dealing with ordinary envy and unscrupulous methods of competitive struggle," noted Father Andriy. In his opinion, the success of the European UOC parishes is due primarily to the fact that the Church was able to organize dozens of communities for Ukrainian displaced persons, where they receive spiritual and pastoral support.

As the SPJ reported, UOC parishes in Europe transferred funds for the treatment of wounded AFU soldiers.

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