Ukrainian leader Zelensky signs into law ban on Moscow-linked church

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed into law a ban on the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), according to an entry in Ukraine's legislative database.

The ban, which was highly controversial, was justified on the basis of support from the church - also known as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate - for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It affects some 3 million congregants.

The church condemned the invasion and broke away from the Russian Patriarchate in 2022. Zelensky's government has nevertheless accused it of justifying Russian crimes against its own people and of disseminating Russian propaganda.

Many of its clerics are suspected of spying for Russia or observing for Russian artillery attacks.

The head of the much larger Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Metropolitan Epiphanius I, has called for congregants of the OUC to come over to his branch.

Moscow continues to take the view that Ukraine remains part of Russia with respect to religion as well. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Sakharova said when the ban was passed by the Ukrainian parliament: "The aim is to destroy the deeply canonical true Orthodoxy."

Moscow also accused Ukraine of violating its citizens' right to freedom of worship.