Chuck Grassley Accuses Russian Orthodox Church of Persecuting Christians and Supporting Ukraine Invasion

Russian Orthodox Church's Role in Ukraine Conflict

• 🇷🇺 Senator Chuck Grassley details how the Russian Orthodox Church supports Russia's invasion of Ukraine through propaganda, ritual for invaders, diplomatic manipulation, and espionage.
• 💡 The Free Russia Foundation's report, "The Russian Orthodox Church and the War," is cited as evidence of the church body's complicity.

Historical Context and KGB Influence

• 🧠 Grassley draws parallels to Joseph Stalin's co-option of the church to support the Soviet state after initial persecution.
• 🕵️‍♂️ He highlights that the current Russian Orthodox Church is dominated by leaders who came of age under the KGB-controlled church structure, noting the current patriarch was a KGB agent.

Patriarch's Statements and International Reaction

• 🗣️ The patriarch's sermon from September 2022 is quoted, stating that anyone dying in military duty sacrifices himself for the sake of others and that such sacrifice washes away sins.
• 🌍 The ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople is cited as finding this stance damaging to the prestige of orthodoxy, as the tradition does not support war, violence, or terrorism.

Persecution of Other Christian Denominations

• ✝️ The Russian Orthodox Church is accused of actively suppressing and persecuting other Christian denominations, including Orthodox believers not aligned with Russia.
• ⚠️ Grassley refutes propaganda claiming the Russian Orthodox Church is a victim, stating it is a leading perpetrator of persecution against fellow Orthodox believers, evangelicals, and other churches.
• 🇺🇦 Church leaders from Ukraine shared firsthand accounts of this persecution with Grassley a year prior.