The network of russian Orthodox churches in Europe is adapting its activities to the specifics of each country and often poses as Ukrainian religious centers in order to influence Ukrainian refugees. This is evidenced by the study “The russian Orthodox Church in Europe: Infrastructure of russian Influence,” presented by the Institute of National Resilience and Security, ukrinform.ua reported.
According to the researchers, russian Orthodoxy in Europe does not function as a single church structure, but as a network of three jurisdictions: the russian Orthodox Church (up to 380 parishes), the russian Orthodox Church Outside of russia (up to 150 parishes), and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the moscow Patriarchate (up to 130 parishes). In total, according to the authors’ estimates, they unite between 1 and 1.2 million believers.The largest number of such church structures operates in Germany – 130 parishes, and the smallest number is in Poland, where there are up to 15.
According to the study, moscow adapts its strategy to the conditions of each country, using aggressive expansion, infiltration into local elites, disguising itself as Ukrainian organizations, or filling public niches that remain without due attention.
To attract Ukrainian refugees, the russian network uses children’s centers, psychological trainings, humanitarian aid, and also disguises itself as Ukrainian church communities: services are conducted in Ukrainian or in both languages, and Ukrainian names and symbols are used.
The authors of the study also warn against russian influence through Telegram channels that pose as Ukrainian information resources. In their opinion, this makes Ukrainians more vulnerable to russian information operations.
Based on the results of a survey of the Ukrainian diaspora, the researchers concluded that russian propaganda promotes the same narratives: “Ukraine does not value its own” and “without russia we will not survive,” appealing to feelings of disappointment.
“Telegram channels adapt faster than russian state media. They carry out hybrid work on readers. For example, the Telegram channels ‘Molytva Slov’ and ‘Spas’ have 5 million subscribers in Europe,” said Rena Marutyan, Director of the Institute of National Resilience and Security.
At the same time, the authors of the study note that only 15 communities of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine operate in Germany and Poland, and their activities are largely sustained by the initiative of priests. They call on the state to financially support chaplaincy missions, expand the presence of the OCU abroad, expose attempts to disguise the structures of the ROC, and develop cooperation with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
According to analysts, the activities of this network are financed from the russian state budget, through russian state corporations, including Rosatom and Gazprom, through certain European subsidies (particularly in Belgium), as well as through private sponsors, including Kostyantyn Malofyeyev, Volodymyr Yakunin, and Vadym Novynskyi.
