Ukrainian authorities have officially recognized the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) as affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate.
According to a statement from the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience (DESS), the UOC is now designated as connected to a banned foreign religious organization.
The announcement had been widely expected following Metropolitan Onufriy’s refusal to comply with government requests to sever ties with the Moscow Patriarchate and declare the Church fully independent.
Moreover, according to the annoucnement, on August 27, 2025, the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) officially ruled that the Kyiv Metropolis of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) (EDRPOU identification code: 21510633) is affiliated with a foreign religious organization whose activities are banned in Ukraine under Article 3 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Religious Organizations.”
The decision followed an investigation conducted by DESS into signs of affiliation between the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC and a foreign religious organization. The investigation confirmed the Kyiv Metropolis’ ties with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), which violates the Law of Ukraine “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations.”
Following these findings, DESS issued a formal order to the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC to rectify the violations. However, Metropolitan Onufriy, Primate of the UOC, declined to comply with the order in an official letter.
In light of the refusal and in the absence of grounds to conclude that the violations were addressed, that the order was issued in error (Article 16, Part 15 of the Law), or to revoke the order (Article 16, Part 17), DESS has now formally recognized the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC as affiliated with a banned foreign religious organization.
