New Delhi: Ukraine’s Home Ministry has declared Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a vocal supporter of Russia’s invasion of Kyiv, as a wanted person. The ministry accused Kirill of inciting war and violence, although he faces no real threat from Ukraine as he is still in Russia.
A mock post by the Ukrainian ministry
The ministry shared a post of Kirill’s name on its ‘wanted list’ on Friday (December 15), according to a report by Reuters. The post depicted Kirill as a clerk who was hiding among a pile of corpses before an investigation. The post also said that he was “missing” since November 11.
The post was a sarcastic response to Kirill’s recent remarks, in which he claimed that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a “miracle of God” and that the Ukrainian people were “brothers” of the Russians.
The role of the Russian Orthodox Church in the conflict
The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), also known as the Moscow Patriarchate, is the largest of more than a dozen autocephalous (self-governing) Eastern Orthodox Christian churches, with approximately 100 million members. Patriarch Kirill is the leader of the ROC, which asserts its authority over Eastern Orthodox Christian regions in the former Soviet Union, except Georgia and Ukraine.
Patriarch Kirill, who became the head of the ROC in 2009, has been a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a supporter of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. He has often used his religious influence to justify Russia’s actions and to denounce Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty.
The implications of the ‘wanted list’ move
The move to put Kirill on the ‘wanted list’ is “purely symbolic”, as Reuters noted, because Patriarch Kirill is in Russia and is in no danger of arrest. However, it reflects Ukraine’s attempt to reduce the influence of the ROC and its clergy, who are seen as agents of Russia and enemies of Ukraine.
Ukraine has accused Kirill and the ROC of undermining Ukrainian society and culture, and of spreading propaganda and misinformation. Ukraine has also supported the creation of a new independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which broke away from the ROC in 2018.
