THE Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has called for the Russian Orthodox Church to be recognised internationally as a tool of state propaganda, in a renewed effort to protect democracy from “disinformation and psychological manipulation”.
“Member states must shield themselves against all forms of propaganda which are illegal under international law, including propaganda for war, incitement to genocide and other international crimes,” the Assembly, which has 46 member states, said in a resolution.
“For authoritarian regimes, such as the Russian Federation, propaganda is an inalienable part of their war on democracy. . . . We reiterate our call for recognition that the Russian Orthodox Church is being used as an instrument of Russian influence and propaganda by the Kremlin regime.”
The 1500-word resolution lists 28 steps for governments, media organisations, and internet companies to counter “systematic deceitful attempts at manipulation of public opinion”, including “targeted sanctions” on Russian media outlets that are threatening national security, and moves to “evaluate and address the involvement of religious institutions in spreading the Kremlin’s propaganda in their countries”.
In two accompanying resolutions, PACE demanded humanitarian treatment for the 65,956 Ukrainian servicemen and civilians currently registered as captured or missing in the war with Russia; it warned that the real number could be “much higher”. It urged national parliaments to recognise the Soviet-engineered 1930s Holodomor, or Great Famine, as an act of genocide against Ukrainians.
“Ninety years on from the Holodomor, Stalin’s artificial famine, which resulted in the deaths of millions, Ukraine again faces the threat of genocide,” the Assembly said.
“Russia’s targeting of civilian infrastructure, filtering out and torture of Ukrainian political and cultural elites, systematic destruction of the Ukrainian people’s spiritual legacy, and cultural heritage, use of food as a weapon, and the forcible deportation of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children — these are evidence of this new genocidal threat.”
Condemnation of Russian Orthodox complicity in Moscow’s actions could intensify pressure on Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, who was sanctioned by Britain in 2022 for his “prominent support of Russian military aggression in Ukraine”. He is also banned from travelling to the United States, Canada, and several European countries.
In a new message on Monday, however, Patriarch Kirill praised President Putin for preserving the “constitutional rights and freedoms” of citizens, and standing firm in defence of Russia’s “sovereignty and centuries-old cultural heritage”.
“Thanks to your efforts and the co-ordinated work of all government branches, a value-orientated policy is being implemented in our country, whose fruits are public harmony and solidarity, growing civic responsibility and initiative, aimed today at assisting participants in the special military operation, who are defending our freedom and independence with courage and heroism,” the Patriarch told the President.
“I am convinced that the joint efforts of the government, Russian Orthodox Church, and public will continue contributing to our country’s socio-economic, spiritual, and cultural development, the maintenance of inter-ethnic and inter-religious peace and harmony, and the affirmation of timeless moral ideals and traditional family values.”
