The Kremlin has appointed new representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in Ukraine to destabilize the unity of Ukrainian society and promote the ideas of the "Russian peace."
This was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense via Telegram.
The Russian leadership has assigned special responsibilities to Metropolitan Antony (Anton Sevryuk), the head of the ROC's Department for External Church Relations, who is close to Patriarch Kirill. He has extensive connections in international church circles and actively promotes the political interests of the Kremlin under the guise of church diplomacy. Also appointed is Metropolitan Dionysius (Petro Porubai), Archbishop of Omsk and Tavriya, an active propagandist of the Kremlin's ideology and the "Russian peace" concept; Patriarchal Exarch of the Moscow Metropolitanate, Metropolitan Pavel (Georgiy Ponomaryov), responsible for the ROC's activities in the post-Soviet countries; and Metropolitan Varsanofy (Anatoly Sudakov), head of the St. Petersburg Metropolitanate, who is closely linked with Russia's security structures and actively participates in the implementation of propaganda efforts under the cover of church activities.
These figures are tasked with organizing and coordinating contacts with religious organizations whose leadership is based in Russia, as well as pro-Russian elements in Ukraine. They are expected to pass on instructions from Russian intelligence agencies and oversee provocations in Russia's interest.
Under the cover of religious cooperation, the ROC continues to serve as a tool of Russia's hybrid influence aimed at destabilizing the situation in Ukraine.
