A branch of Ukraine’s Orthodox Church announced Friday that it’s breaking from Russia over President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, declaring its “full independence” against Russia’s spiritual authorities.
The decision followed a meeting of the church leadership. In a statement, its council condemned Russia’s 24th February invasion of Ukraine and Patriarch Kirill, the head of Russia’s church, for supporting the “special military operation” in Ukraine.
“The council has approved the corresponding additions and changes to the Statute on the Management of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, indicating the full autonomy and independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” the council said in a statement published on its page Friday.
Kirill has backed the war in a series of sermons, calling for Russians to “rally around” the authorities, accusing “enemies” of attempting to destroy the unity between Russia and Ukraine.
On Sunday, the Moscow church leader released a statement in response to the decision by its branch in Ukraine to cut ties.
“We fully understand how the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is suffering today,” Kirill said, according to The Moscow Times.
The church leader and Putin’s ally warned that the “spirits of malice” are trying to divide the Orthodox people of Russia and Ukraine but insisted they would not succeed.
Former DIA Intelligence Officer and Putin’s Playbook author Rebekah Koffler described the Ukraine Orthodox Church’s move as a “huge blow” to Putin.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Koffler said “Kirill and Putin are buddies,” adding that Russia’s president “has weaponized the Russian Orthodox religion as a geopolitical tool.”
“The idea of Putin unifying the Russian world, including Ukraine and other post-Soviet states, hinges on the idea that Russia is the centre of Christianity and the centre of the unique Eurasian civilization that the Russians believe is exceptional just like Americans think America is exceptional,”
the analyst said. “Once the church splits, it takes the whole divinity idea out of it.”
The analyst speculated that it was unlikely that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church would join the Kyiv-based Orthodox Church Ukraine after declaring its independence. She predicted that some Ukrainian Orthodox parishes would remain in Moscow, however, despite the decision.
“With Russian forces gradually but steadily establishing control over Eastern and Southern Ukraine, Putin’s primary goal at this phase of the war is to balance their parishioners’ interests,” Koffler explained. “Some of the priests may decide to stick with Moscow, in order to survive a possible new regime if Putin succeeds in securing full control of Donbas and establishing the so-called ‘Novorossiya’ (new Russia).”
The analyst noted that the split is likely due to Putin’s targeting of civilians to put pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, at least 3,930 people have been killed, 4,532 have been injured, and more than 6 million have fled their homes since the invasion began.