The activity of the Russian Orthodox Church has intensified on the African continent.
The Center for Counteracting Disinformation as a part of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine shared this information on Facebook.
"Russia has significantly increased the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa. Over three years of the Church's exarchate on the continent, parishes have been opened in 30 countries, half of which were established in 2022. This indicates that the intensified activity of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa is linked to Russia's need to increase its number of allies following the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine," noted the Center for Counteracting Disinformation.
The Center explained, "Under the guise of 'protecting African Orthodox Christians,' Russia is spreading its influence and propaganda on the continent. Specifically, the Russian Orthodox Church claims that Russia is not associated with colonialism, racism, and the slave trade—sensitive issues for Africa. However, this is false, as the use of serfs and colonial wars in the Caucasus, Asia, and Europe contradict this narrative."
"As a powerful propaganda tool for the ideas of the 'Russian Peace,' the Russian Orthodox Church complements Russia's military presence on the continent and aims to increase support for Russia's actions on the international political stage," emphasized the Center.
