The Czech secret intelligence services have launched an investigation into whether the Russian Orthodox Church poses a threat to the country’s democracy through infiltration and influence operations. This move follows a decision by the Security Committee of the Czech Senate, which aims to determine if the Moscow Patriarchate is using the Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic to spread Russian propaganda and exert influence.
According to reports in Czech media, Minister of Culture Martin Baxa will assess whether the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic are operating within the bounds of the law. Should any violations be found, he is prepared to recommend suspending their operations.
“Foreign powers should not exploit concepts such as freedom of religion and the right of association to exert influence. The Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic must not be used as tools by the Russian Federation to act against the interests of the Czech Republic,” stated Senate Committee Chairman Pavel Fischer. He emphasized that the Russian Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic is effectively a branch of the Moscow Patriarchate, which is closely tied to the Russian government.
In April 2023, the Czech government placed Patriarch Kirill of Moscow on its sanctions list due to his public support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, Czech authorities revoked the residence permit of Russian Orthodox cleric Nikolai Lysenyuk, accusing him of establishing an influence network aimed at fostering secessionist movements within the European Union, allegedly with Russian backing.
“I do not consider the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate to be a legitimate church, nor its representatives to be true clergymen. It is a part of the Kremlin’s repressive apparatus, involved in Russia’s influence operations,” said Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský.
The Security Committee also noted that, while the Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic is formally independent from the Russian Orthodox Church, it remains the country’s second-largest religious denomination, with its numbers bolstered by Ukrainian refugees. However, since 2014, the Church has increasingly fallen under the influence of individuals connected to Russian power structures.
The Ministry of Interior has been tasked with investigating potential criminal activities by members of both the Russian Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic and the Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic.
