State Service on Ethnic Policy recognizes UOC (MP) as affiliated with ROC
The State Service of Ukraine on Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) recognized the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) as affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).
"On August 27, 2025, the DESS adopted a decision to recognize the Kyiv Metropolis of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church [identification code according to the Unified State Register of Religious Organizations 21510633] as affiliated with a foreign religious organization, the activities of which in Ukraine are prohibited in accordance with Article 3 of the Law of Ukraine on protection of the constitutional order in the sphere of activities of religious organizations," the Service said in a statement.
It should be noted that this decision was preceded by a study on the presence of signs of affiliation, which revealed said signs.
"Accordingly, the DESS sent the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC an order to eliminate violations of the law. In his letter, the Primate of the UOC, Metropolitan Onufriy, declared his refusal to comply with the specified order," the report says.
Due to the lack of evidence to conclude whether violations were eliminated or the order was erroneous, the department recognized the UOC (MP) as affiliated with the Russian Church.
You can read the decision at the link.
As reported, on May 9, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the procedure for conducting a study on the presence of signs of affiliation of a religious organization with a foreign religious organization, the activities of which are prohibited in Ukraine, as well as the procedure for considering the issue of confirming the facts of using a religious organization to propagate the ideology of the "Russian world."