Ukraine has imposed sanctions on 10 high-ranking priests of the country’s Orthodox Church for “cooperating with Russian authorities and justifying Russian aggression.” According to Reuters, to this end, the Ukrainian Security Service said in a statement on Saturday evening that these individuals were staying in areas controlled by Russia or abroad.

The ten Ukrainian dignitaries had cooperated with Russian authorities, spread pro-Russian war propaganda and justified Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, the statement added. Reuters wrote, “The Ukrainian branch of the Russian Orthodox Church severed ties with it in May, but many Ukrainians still distrust it and accuse it of secretly cooperating with Russia.

The sanctions against the 10 senior priests, which will last five years, include asset freezes, a ban on capital outflows from Ukraine and a ban on buying real estate. Ukraine’s security service has so far raided several buildings belonging to the Ukrainian branch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Orthodox Christians make up a large part of Ukraine’s 43 million population. After the fall of the Soviet Union, a fierce rivalry arose between the Russian Orthodox Church and its Ukrainian branch.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky said Friday evening that the country’s National Security and Defense Council had made decisions on measures against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Proposing a bill to ban “religious organizations linked to centers of influence in the Russian Federation” and stepping up the fight against Moscow’s special services in the Ukrainian Church are within the National Security and Defense Council’s competence.

Vatican, Russia ambassador protests Pope’s words

VATICAN CITY – Russian Ambassador to the Vatican Alexander Avdeev has protested the Pope’s remarks in an interview with the … ‘America’ of the Jesuits related to alleged acts of cruelty by Russian troops in Ukraine, particularly of Buriati and Chechens.

“I expressed my indignation at these insinuations and noted that nothing can shake the cohesion and unity of the multinational Russian people,” Avdeev said. Earlier, in an interview with Jesuit magazine America, Pope Francis had said that the greatest brutality in special operations in Ukraine would be displayed by soldiers raised outside the Russian tradition, citing the Buriati and Chechens as examples.

The Vatican appreciates the good relations with Russia and hopes to continue to develop them. A Holy See diplomatic source told Russian media, commenting on the interview with Pope Francis. According to the source, the Vatican “did not intend to offend the peoples of Russia in any way.” “We will clarify, we will double-check the translations,” the source clarified. He also noted that the Holy See “greatly appreciates the good relations with Russia and hopes to continue their development.”