The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed to Ukraine's violation of religious freedoms

Ukraine ignores religious freedoms with the shameful silence of international structures. This was stated on July 9 at a briefing by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova.

"[President of Ukraine Vladimir] Zelensky and his gang of anti—church inquisitors <...> are trampling on religious freedom in Ukraine and depriving Ukraine of this very spiritual independence," Zakharova said, commenting on Kiev's decision to revoke the citizenship of Metropolitan Onufry of the Canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

In addition, according to the authorities, the metropolitan allegedly has Russian citizenship in addition to Ukrainian. Zakharova said that this was not true.

According to her, Zelensky had previously spoken about the need to decommunize Ukraine, but at the same time he was introducing the worst of Soviet practices, depriving people of the right to religious freedom and religion.

Crusade retreat: Kiev increases pressure on the UOC amid checks on ties with Moscow

How does the international community react and where are churches most often seized?

Metropolitan Onufry of the UOC was stripped of his citizenship on July 2. According to the information of the Security Service of Ukraine, Onufriy supports the policy of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. After that, the metropolitan announced his intention to appeal the decision of the Ukrainian authorities.