Ukraine has taken a significant diplomatic stance by revoking the citizenship of Metropolitan Onufrii, the head of the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP). The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced that Onufrii voluntarily gained Russian citizenship in 2002 and failed to inform Ukrainian authorities. This action is mandated by a new law that allows the removal of Ukrainian citizenship for individuals holding Russian passports. The SBU also emphasized Onufrii’s continued support for the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and its leadership, including Patriarch Kirill, despite the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The move follows a 2024 law signed by President Zelensky that outlaws the activities of religious organizations linked to Russia, which is widely interpreted as targeting the UOC-MP. Since the invasion, the SBU has investigated over 100 UOC-MP clergy members for alleged collaboration with Russian forces or spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda, with nearly 50 charged and 26 cases concluded. The UOC-MP continues to insist that it operates within Ukrainian law and that its 2022 declaration of independence from Moscow was genuine, although many in Ukraine view this as symbolic and lacking credibility.
The UOC-MP is separate from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which was granted autocephaly by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople in 2019. The suspension of Onufrii’s citizenship reflects Ukraine’s broader efforts to distance itself from Moscow’s influence, as the church has faced increasing scrutiny and criticism for its perceived loyalty to Russia and its role in undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty. The SBU’s stance underscores the significance of the UOC-MP’s alignment with the Russian Orthodox Church, which has been a focal point of Ukraine’s resistance to Russian influence.