The Ukrainian government through its President Zelenskyy is set to create laws that will ban churches and Christians from worshipping in unapproved ways.
According to reports, the country seeks to ban religious organizations and churches linked to Russia, for fear of weakening Ukraine from within by divulging information.
Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council told the government to create a law after some parishes were raided in Kyiv. The church was allegedly suspected to be linked to Moscow and could be taking others from them.
Ukraine’s security council also ordered investigations into suspected “subversive activities of Russian special services in the religious environment of Ukraine” and called for sanctions against unspecified individuals.
Five parishes that belonged to a branch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church which until May was subordinated to the Russian Orthodox Church were raided and searched.
A former church diocese head was also suspended for organizing a pro-Moscow information campaign with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Speaking on and suspension and ban on churches and religious activities in Ukraine, the president said;
“We have to create conditions where no actors dependent on the aggressor state (Russia) will have an opportunity to manipulate Ukrainians and weaken Ukraine from within,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly address to the nation on Thursday.
“We will never allow anyone to build an empire inside the Ukrainian soul.”
Many have condemned Ukraine’s actions, Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia, referring to it as satanists and enemies of Christ and the Orthodox faith.
People in the United States have also faulted President Biden’s continual giving of aid to Ukraine which doesn’t respect his people’s freedom and rights and is against religious activities, worship, and churches.
