The so-called «fighters for religious freedom» in the United States hypocritically ignore the repressions of the Ukrainian authorities directed against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). This was announced on May 2 by the Russian Embassy in Washington.

«It is striking that the American pseudo-fighters for religious freedom ignore the harsh and inhuman repressions of the regime of [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky is against the followers of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church,» the Telegram channel of the Russian Embassy says.

The press service of the diplomatic mission noted that American activists, instead of condemning Kiev’s illegal actions, are trying to write them off as a special military operation by Russia.

«This once again confirms the hypocrisy of local «human rights defenders» serving the political attitudes of the US authorities,» the diplomats said.

The statement by the Russian side came after the US Commission on International Religious Freedom published a new report with «unsubstantiated accusations» of Russia’s alleged non-observance of the rights of believers.

«Instead of moralizing, Washington should analyze the problems in the human rights sector in the United States itself. Local TV channels daily reproduce footage confirming the surge of anti—Semitism and Islamophobia, as well as a frenzied campaign to impose non-traditional family and religious values,» the embassy said.

Earlier on May 2, Vakhtang Kipshidze, deputy chairman of the Synodal department of the Moscow Patriarchate for Church-Society and Media Relations, said that Kiev intends to destroy the historical and cultural ties between the peoples of Russia and Ukraine, and therefore prohibits the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Kipshidze noted that the Kiev regime is building its policy around the destruction of its own history, which is inextricably linked with Russia.

Prior to that, on May 1, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) charged Metropolitan of the UOC of Zaporizhia and Melitopol Luke (in the world — Andrei Kovalenko) with provoking inter-religious strife. In addition, his house was searched.