The ROC has officially registered in the Republic of the Congo to strengthen Russian influence in Africa
Kyiv • UNN
The Russian Orthodox Church has received official registration in the Republic of the Congo. Moscow uses religion as a tool of soft power and recruitment.
The Russian Orthodox Church has officially registered in another African state — the Republic of the Congo. This is reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (CCD), UNN informs.
Details
It is noted that this step has become the next stage of the ROC's expansion on the continent: Moscow is moving from isolated missions to the systematic building of an extensive religious network.
The dynamics of the ROC's advancement in Africa clearly align with the geopolitical strategy of Russia's pivot to the Global South. In this context, the religious structure acts as a "soft power" tool intended to legitimize the Russian presence in the region
It is indicated that in this way, church policy is synchronized with state policy — Moscow continues to expand its presence in Africa, using the church as an element of hybrid influence.
"The African Exarchate actually functions as an ideological department that prepares the ground for economic and military cooperation. Also, the established church infrastructure can be used as an additional channel for recruiting the local population for the war against Ukraine," the CCD concludes.
As a reminder
According to a Bloomberg investigation, the Kremlin has turned the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) into a key soft power tool to consolidate its positions on the African continent. Through the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa established in 2021, Moscow is poaching clergy, using religion as a cover for spreading propaganda, recruiting supporters, and displacing Western influence.