Czech intelligence launches investigation into Russian Orthodox Church’s operations in country

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Czech intelligence service launched an investigation into the operations of Russian Orthodox Church in the country, the Orthodox Times reported on Friday.

This move followed the call by the security committee of the Czech Senate, which intended to determine if the Moscow Patriarchate is using the Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic to spread Russian propaganda and exert influence.

The Security Committee on Tuesday called on the government to entrust intelligence service to investigate the threats to the country posed by the Russian Orthodox Church.

“Foreign powers should not exploit concepts such as freedom of religion and the right of association to exert influence. The Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic must not be used as tools by the Russian Federation to act against the interests of the Czech Republic,” said the committee’s chairman Pavel Fischer.

In April 2023, the Czech government placed Patriarch Kirill of Moscow on its sanctions list owing to his public support for Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Czech authorities also revoked the residence permit of Russian Orthodox cleric Nikolai Lysenyuk, accusing him of establishing an influence network aimed at fostering secessionist movements within the EU with Russian support.