Ukraine passes bill to ban Orthodox church with ties to Russia; Zelensky hails ban, Moscow slams it
Ukrainian Orthodox Church
The Ukrainian parliament on Tuesday (August 20) voted to ban the Ukrainian orthodox church, which has links to Russia. The move has been backed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said that itwill boost his country's independence.
"Today I want to note the work of the Verkhovna Rada. A law on our spiritual independence has been adopted," said Zelensky on social media. He added that the government would "continue to strengthen Ukraine and our society."
Russia slams the ban
Russia, however, has slammed the move as "unlawful".
In a statement posted on Telegram, the Russian Orthodox Church spokesman Vladimir Legoida said, "This is an unlawful act that is the grossest violation of the basic principles of freedom of conscience and human rights."
)
3.5-million-year-old mystery creature found in Japan is a 'giant' never seen before
)
JP Nadda, Jitendra Singh meet Sonam Wangchuk at Medanta Hospital: Report
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 batters with most runs in India vs Zimbabwe T20Is
)
Before you buy your Odyssey ticket: The difference between IMAX 70mm and digital explained
)
Japan is selling a refrigerator to cool the human body for Rs 9 lakh. It is already a hit in Tokyo
)
Sonam Wangchuk's connection with George Soros and Ford Foundation explained!
)
Donald Trump heading for a tough midterm elections as approval ratings fall
)
FACT CHECK: Was Abhijit Dipke detained during CJP's Parliament march? Here's what police say
)
Iran strikes Amazon data infrastructure in Bahrain, power, water desalination plants in Kuwait
)
UP BTech gold medalist dies by suicide after failing in nearly 50 govt job attempts, leaves note for father
)
Salman Khan breaks silence on health concerns after viral Mumbai appearance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
'Eyes before weapons': How the S-400's radar network works
)
Burnham sticks with Starmer's Iran policy, keeps UK bases open to US: Report
)
'George Soros playbook': Understanding the foreign funding network around Sonam Wangchuk
)
Indus treaty can no longer function in its current form, says India; plans 5,500 mw of new J&K hydro projects
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New OTT releases this week (July 20-26, 2026): Musafir Cafe, Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya, 72 Hours- 5 new titles coming on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
US-Iran war: Iran's precision strikes rock US bases | 17 troops killed as war escalates
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
2026 FIFA World Cup awards: Full list of Golden Boot, Golden Ball, Golden Glove and every major winner
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
FIFA World Cup 2026 team of the tournament: The best XI that ruled football’s biggest stage
)
'What is wrong...': Anna Hazare breaks silence on Sonam Wangchuk's protest, makes an appeal to Centre
)
Preity Zinta backs Sonam Wangchuk and CJP student protests, urges activist to end fast
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why US fighter jets use seamless bubble canopies compared to Russian jets
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the F-22’s cockpit glass is thicker than a standard fighter jet
)
Student union leaders call off hunger strike at Jantar Mantar after civil society appeal, but protest continues
)
‘He's the architect of the genocide against Palestinians’: Mamdani repeats Netanyahu will be arrested if he visits US
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
World's top 7 most liveable cities in 2026 — Check where India and Pakistan stand
)
Fact Check: Was Naseeruddin Shah in New Delhi for the Jantar Mantar student protest?
)
'Guru is the...': Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan shares message on education amid calls for his resignation
)
'Rahul Gandhi, Congress shamelessly exploiting students as political tool': Dharmendra Pradhan on protests
)
'We're not finished at all': Trump says about attack on Iran, threatens to target underground nuclear complex
)
'We acted immediately...': Indian PM Modi breaks silence on paper leaks as NEET protest, calls for Education Minister's resignation grows
)
‘Centre had no interest in having a debate’: LoP Rahul Gandhi demands resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, Amit Shah
)
FBI arrests alleged $547mn medicare fraud fugitive after 3-year global manhunt
Nevertheless, Zelensky's office has welcomed the bill.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff on Telegram, proclaimed that, "There will be no Moscow Church in Ukraine."
Labelling the bill as "historic",Ukrainian lawmaker Iryna Gerashchenko said "This is a matter of national security, not religion," she said in a post on Telegram.
Why ban a church?
As per AFP, Ukraine has for years tried to curb spiritual ties with bodies it considers aligned with Russia. The process was further accelerated by Moscow's full-blown invasion in 2022. The powerful Russian Orthodox Church reportedly endorsed the invasion.
Now, a majority of Ukrainian MPs approved the bill that outlaws Russia-linked religious organisations, including the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which is linked to the Moscow Patriarchate.
The bill will now go to the president and will become lawafter his signature. However, as per the report, implementing it will take years. In spite of that, it caused dismay among the church's followers.
As per AFP, the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church officially broke ties with its Russian counterpart back in 2022. However, some Ukrainian leaders have accused the church of collaborating with Russian clergymen despite Moscow's invasion.
(With inputs from agencies)
