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The Latest Breaking News from Russian Orthodox Church

Former Archbishop of Canterbury: Putin is a heretic – he has no holy mission in Ukraine

INTERVIEW: For years, the Russian Orthodox Church has given its blessing to Moscow’s brutal invasion and attempted to frame it in religious terms. The former archbishop tells Maira Butt that Vladimir Putin’s violence directly contradicts the message preached by Christ

The Independent UK

Head of Prestigious Genetics Institute Fired Over Controversial Statements

Russia's science ministry dismisses head of genetics institute after controversial statements on human lifespan; Russian Orthodox Church calls it religious...

Top News

Russian Orthodox priests face persecution from state and church for supporting peace in Ukraine

A small number of Russian Orthodox priests are publicly opposing their leader's support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and they're suffering the consequences

The Independent UK

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Russian Orthodox Church fires Archpriest for 'obstruction' of icon transfer

Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, on Saturday dismissed his expert on art and restoration for obstructing the transfer of a historic 15th-century Trinity icon to the Church from a Moscow museum.

Reuters

Easter: church head laments conflict in 'historical' Russia

Worshipers including President Vladimir Putin crowded into Moscow’s vast Christ the Savior Cathedral for Easter services led by Russian Orthodox Church head Patriarch Kirill, a supporter of Russia’s military actions in Ukraine

The Independent UK

Russian coronavirus-denying ex-monk sentenced to 7 years

A coronavirus-denying former Russian Orthodox monk has been given a seven-year sentence on charges of inciting hatred

The Independent UK

Ukraine sanctions wealthy businessman, nine priests linked to Russian church

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy imposed sanctions on one of Ukraine's richest businessmen and nine senior priests associated with the Russian Orthodox Church, blocking their assets for five years.

Reuters

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Zelensky says talks on Western tank exports 'must end with decisions'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday said tank transfer talks "must end with decisions", shortly after telling French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that Russian athletes should have "no place" at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The day also marked 11 months since the start of the war. Follow our blog to see…

France 24

Ukraine sanctions 22 associated with Russian Orthodox Church

Ukraine has imposed sanctions on 22 Russians associated with the Russian Orthodox Church for what President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said was their support of genocide under the cloak of religion.

Reuters

With his luxury watch and murky Soviet past, Patriarch Kirill is Putin's spiritual leader and power broker

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church wields enormous influence over more than 100 million believers and is a powerful ally to President Vladimir Putin — nowhere moreso than in the ideological battle for Ukraine.

ABC News

Patriarch Kirill: The politically influential head of the Russian Orthodox Church

Born Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyayev, Kirill has been the sixteenth patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church since he was enthroned in 2009. He has attracted international scrutiny with open declarations of support for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in February 2022.

France 24

No respite in Ukraine fighting as shaky Russian truce ends

Intense shelling reported around Ukraine’s Bakhmut, despite Russia’s unilateral ceasefire for Orthodox Christmas.

Al Jazeera

Ukrainians celebrate Orthodox Christmas in reclaimed church

Hundreds of Ukrainians heard the Orthodox Christmas service in the Ukrainian language for the first time in decades at Kyiv’s 1,000-year-old Lavra Cathedral

The Independent UK

Ukraine war news – live: Putin praises Russian Orthodox Church for supporting war

Putin called for a temporary ceasefire to mark Orthodox Christmas

The Independent UK

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Evening Standard

Why does Ukraine celebrate Christmas in January? Why Putin proposed ceasefire now

Putin proposed that the ceasefire would take place over January 6 and 7 to coincide with Orthodox Christmas

Asharq Al-Awsat

Biden Says Putin Trying to Find ‘Oxygen’ with Truce Proposal

US President Joe Biden suggested Vladimir Putin's struggle in Ukraine after 10 months of war and thousands of lives lost had prompted the Russian president to offer a 36-hour truce, saying, "I think he's trying to find some oxygen." The Kremlin said Putin had ordered a ceasefire from midday on…

The Independent UK

Russia’s 36-hour ceasefire plan will do nothing for peace, says James Cleverly

President Vladimir Putin has ordered Moscow’s armed forces to observe the 36-hour ceasefire in Ukraine this weekend.

Evening Standard

Kyiv dismisses Vladimir Putin’s 36-hour ‘ceasefire’ in Ukraine as ‘cynical trap’

Senior Ukrainian officials have dismissed Vladimir Putin’s proposal of a 36-hour “ceasefire” as “hypocritical” and a “cynical trap”.

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The Independent UK

Putin orders 36-hour ceasefire by Russian forces – Ukraine rejects it as ‘hypocrisy’

An advisor to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky immediately rejected a call from the Russian president fro Kyiv to reciprocate

The Independent UK

Russian church head calls for Ukraine truce, finds no takers

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church is calling for a 36-hour Christmas cease-fire in Ukraine at the end of this week

Reuters

Russian patriarch calls for Orthodox Christmas truce in Ukraine

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, called on Thursday for both sides of the war in Ukraine to observe a Christmas truce, a step dismissed by Kyiv as a cynical trap.

The Independent UK

Some Ukrainians move Christmas to detach again from Russia

Ukrainians usually celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7, as do Russians

The Independent UK

Ukraine bans religious organizations with links to Russia

Ukraine has banned the activities of religious organizations “affiliated with centers of influence” in Russia and says it will examine the links between the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox churches

The Guardian - UK

‘Racist’ interview with Pope Francis causes fury in Russia

Francis says Chechen and Buryat minorities in Russia’s army more cruel in Ukraine than other soldiers

The Independent UK

With searches, Ukraine focuses suspicions on Orthodox clergy

Ukrainian counter-intelligence services have turned their sights on some Orthodox clergy whom they suspect of pro-Russian sentiment and activity

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