A new law in Ukraine banning the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) aims to prevent the weaponisation of religion in the country, according to the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
On 20 August, Ukraine’s Parliament adopted Law 8371, which prohibits activities by the ROC in Ukraine and bans the activities of any associated religious organisations affiliated with Moscow.
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who heads the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, argues that Russia has used the ROC “as a tool of militarisation”. He described it being used like “a neurotropic weapon” – something that is “neurotropic” affects nerve tissue, deep in the body.
