Analysis of the Causes and Circumstances of the Arrests of Priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate

Authors

Iryna Steshyts, Ukrainian Institute of Arts and SciencesFollow
Volodymyr Suhoniak, Ukrainian Institute of Arts and SciencesFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

1 author ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6622-9375

2 author ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0484-4839

Abstract

The analysis of the reasons and circumstances of the detentions of priests from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) in the context of the military conflict shows that these events are a result of the interplay between the threat to Ukraine's national security, violations of religious and civil rights, and external political aspects of the war with Russia. The detentions of UOC MP priests occur due to public calls for cooperation with the occupation forces, the spread of pro-Russian propaganda, the justification of Russian aggression, illegal possession of weapons and ammunition, as well as espionage activities. A particular role in this process is played by the church hierarchy of the UOC MP, which sometimes supports the positions of the Moscow Patriarchate, further strengthening its influence in the political and informational spheres. The detentions are systemic, covering various regions of Ukraine, and point to the scale of the problem. Operations to identify such individuals are an important component of the fight for national security and the protection of citizens' religious rights from abuse for political purposes.

Recommended Citation

Steshyts, Iryna and Suhoniak, Volodymyr (2025) "Analysis of the Causes and Circumstances of the Arrests of Priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate," Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe: Vol. 45 : Iss. 2 , Article 7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55221/2693-2229.2602
Available at: https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/ree/vol45/iss2/7