There is a growing awareness in European countries that the structures of the Russian Orthodox Church can be used by the Kremlin as a tool of hybrid influence and the activities of Russian special services. This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (CCD), informs UNN.
Details
It is noted that Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys stated the need to limit the activities and influence of Russian special services in the structures of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Vilnius and Lithuania of the Moscow Patriarchate. According to him, the state must react to such risks in the same way as it checks investors seeking access to strategic sectors.
The statement came after the Lithuanian special services published their annual assessment of national threats, which states that Orthodox church structures play a prominent role in spreading ideological narratives promoted by the Russian regime.
It is indicated that foreign branches of the Russian Orthodox Church are systematically used by the Kremlin as an instrument of influence. Through them, Russian and anti-Western propaganda is spread, aggression against Ukraine is justified, and networks of political and social influence are formed.
"In a number of EU countries, cases of using church structures to purchase real estate near military bases and critical infrastructure facilities have also been recorded, which can be used to collect intelligence. Cases of direct cooperation between ROC structures and Russian special services have also been recorded. That is why the activities of the ROC in Europe are increasingly being considered as a matter of national security, and not just religion," the CCD added.
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