Director of Institute for Religious Freedom: Churches not banned in Ukraine

On 29 January 2024, the Executive Director of the Ukrainian Institute for Religious Freedom (IRF), Maksym Vasin, speaking at a roundtable on international religious freedom in Washington, DC, said that information about the persecution of believers in Ukraine and attempts by the authorities to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church does not correspond to reality and is "Russian propaganda".

According to Vasin, "Russia is trying to hide its atrocities against Ukrainian religious communities" in the occupied territories, and "for this purpose, Russian propaganda spreads distorted information that Ukraine allegedly restricts religious freedom and bans Churches".

"This does not correspond to reality!” assured the IRS Director. “The Ukrainian authorities have not banned a single Church, and the bill on breaking ties with Russian religious centres has not been adopted yet. It is still being debated in the Ukrainian parliament by democratic procedures. Russia, on the other hand, is systematically using religion and the Orthodox Church in its war against Ukraine to justify its invasion."

Vasin accused those who report on religious persecution in Ukraine of intending to "deprive Ukraine of international support" and recommended "not to trust a single word of 'Russian propaganda'".

As reported, the UN is concerned about the persecution and intimidation of UOC believers.