Russia Vows to Defend Orthodox Believers in Ukraine

(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared on Tuesday that Russia remains firmly committed to defending Orthodox Christians in Ukraine and ensuring the protection of their legal entitlements.

Speaking at a reception in Moscow celebrating Easter, Lavrov stated, “I would like to assure everyone present that Russia will not leave the Orthodox people of Ukraine in trouble and will ensure that their legal rights are respected and that canonical Orthodoxy regains its central place in the spiritual life of the people on Ukrainian lands.”

Lavrov emphasized that upholding these aims is central to Russia’s view of what constitutes a just resolution to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

He asserted that this conflict was “created by the West” and reiterated Russia’s commitment to supporting canonical Orthodoxy as a cornerstone of the spiritual identity in Ukrainian regions.

Highlighting the continuity of this stance, Lavrov referenced a recent conversation between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. Leader Donald Trump that lasted over two hours.

According to Lavrov, both the Russian government and the Foreign Ministry will persist in working alongside the Russian Orthodox Church in the global diplomatic sphere to advance their shared objectives.

Lavrov also criticized Western nations, accusing them of routinely overlooking “many crimes” around the globe.

He alleged that such oversight is intentional when these acts of violence or injustice do not interfere with the West’s broader ambitions to maintain its “elusive dominance” and “live at the expense of others.”

He went on to blame the Ukrainian government for systematically dismantling anything associated with Russia since 2014.

Lavrov claimed that Kyiv has not spared “canonical Orthodoxy” in its campaign, and pointed to what he described as a systematic persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate.

“A tragic and at the same time clear example of its misanthropic nature is the long-term persecution of the country's largest confession, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (of the Moscow Patriarchate), which the authorities entrenched in Kyiv have brought to the brink of legal liquidation,” he remarked.

Through these statements, Lavrov reinforced Russia’s stance that its role is to defend not only geopolitical interests but also cultural and religious heritage tied to Russian identity.

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