The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved the key features of the propaganda of the "Russian world". This gives grounds for checking the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. This is reported by UNN with reference to resolution No. 541 of May 9, 2025.
Details
The government resolution approves the "Procedure for considering the facts of propaganda of the "Russian world" through religious organizations." The document states that propaganda of the "Russian world" is the spread of ideology that contradicts the national security of Ukraine.
The review is carried out at the initiative of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) or on the basis of an appeal from government bodies, citizens or organizations.
If signs of Russian propaganda are detected, the DESS issues an order to form a group to study the issue. The group includes employees of the DESS, as well as, if necessary, employees of other government bodies and scientific institutions.
The group takes into account information from public registers, the media, expert opinions, open sources, received from government bodies or the public. If necessary, a religious examination is appointed, which lasts no more than 30 days.
In case of repeated facts of Russian propaganda, the DESS approves the corresponding conclusion. The order with the conclusions is published on the DESS website and sent to the religious organization within three days.
What are the signs of propaganda of the ideas of the "Russian world"
One of the main signs of the spread of the "Russian world" is the justification of the need to restore the Eurasian imperial space, in which there is no place for an independent Ukraine. Such a space will exist under the auspices of the Russian Federation.
Also, such propaganda includes the presentation of the so-called "special military operation" as a "holy war" and "confrontation with the soulless, godless West". In addition, agitators of the "Russian world" justify territorial claims and Russian military aggression, the destruction of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. At the same time, they appeal to common history, religious traditions, linguistic affinity, and historical memory.
Other signs of propaganda of the "Russian world":
- denial of the existence of the Ukrainian nation, Ukrainian statehood and Ukraine's right to state sovereignty. At the same time, the idea of the "triune Rus", "the triunity of the Russian people" is defended;
- justification of the expansion of the Moscow Patriarchate on the territory of Ukraine with the help of arguments about the uniqueness of the Russian historical path and Russian spirituality;
- justification of the suppression of church life in Ukraine, its national and historical religious traditions;
- denial of the right of Ukrainian churches to autocephaly;
- spreading the idea that any national self-awareness of Ukrainians and Belarusians threatens the "triune Russian people";
- justification of Russian messianism and the civilizing and educational historical role of Russia during the formation of the Ukrainian state;
- justification of the crimes of the Russian military committed on the territory of Ukraine as such that remove obstacles to the implementation of Russia's special historical mission;
- spreading the ideas of the need to collect "Russian lands", which do not have clearly defined borders and cover all territories where Russian speakers or believers of the Russian Church live;
- justification of the removal of obstacles, including by military means, to the reunification of the "divided Russian people".
At the same time, the resolution clarifies that the use of such ideas for scientific research, education and analysis is not considered propaganda if it does not have an agitational purpose.
Addendum
The Center for Counteracting Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council reported that the Kremlin is trying to repeat the propaganda tactics of the USSR, wrapping aggression against Ukraine in the guise of "historical memory".