Pro-Russian telegram channels are spreading the news about the attack on the priest of the Moscow Patriarchate Church in the Vinnytsia region and accusing the “politics” of Volodymyr Zelenskyi and the “tacit consent” of Ukrainian society with it.

Russian propaganda is using reports of an attack on Archpriest Antonii Kovtoniuk to promote a disinformation message about the “persecution” of the Moscow Patriarchate church in Ukraine. There is no official information about the motives of the attacker yet - an investigation is underway. Propagandists are trying to give greater significance and “systematicity" to a single crime, so they write about “attacks in temples”.

Such information appeared in the Russian-language media space. In particular, messages are distributed in anonymous telegram channels broadcasting a pro-Russian position. They say that a new group of radical Islamists went from northeast Syria to Ukraine to fight as mercenaries on the side of Kyiv. However, there is no evidence in the propagandists' reports to support such a claim. Analysts of the EU vs Disinfo project drew attention to the case.

Anonymous telegram channels write that all the finds of the Security service in Ukraine (SSU) allegedly have unambiguous signs of "staging". Like, it remains only to "find the cartridges". It seems that in fact all this is not a “cleansing” of pro-Russian elements and ideology, but a “struggle for influence on the minds of people”. Also, the alleged goal of the Ukrainian authorities is the redistribution of church property and an attempt to “lock up” all donations to the OCU (Orthodox Church in Ukraine).

Thus, propagandists are trying to shift the emphasis on protecting national sovereignty to the corruption of the Ukrainian authorities. In fact, using the phrase about “the struggle for influence on people’s minds”, the propaganda indirectly confirms that the Moscow Patriarchate Church influenced the parishioners. Russians use aggressive rhetoric to defend the Moscow Patriarchate church after searches.

They say that those people who were baptized in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate will now be forced to "re-baptize by a priest of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU)".

Like, in the churches they put up the appropriate announcements: “In connection with the recent events, all baptismal rites performed by the priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are being abolished. You can sign up for re-baptism at the priest’s of the OCU”.

Such "announcements" circulating on the net are fake and their content is not true. This was reported to StopFake journalists by the press service of the OCU.

Such practice of rebaptism in the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is not approved and is not carried out. Since this is a big theological misconception, a violation of the canons and a serious sin”, the press service of the OCU said.

Re-baptism used to be practiced in the UOC-MP itself in relation to the believers of the Orthodox Churches of Ukraine (OCU), which are considered “schismatic” in the Moscow Patriarchate.

Pro-Russian telegram channels write about this in the context of checks and searches taking place in the churches of the Moscow Patriarchate. Like, the authorities are proposing a special law to ban the Moscow Patriarchate church, but for the sake of “decency” this is not indicated in the title. Allegedly, they found a way to “squeeze out” the Kyiv-Pechersk, Pochayiv and Sviatohorsk Lavra. They will also detain clergy and parishioners to replenish the exchange fund.

In fact, the reason for searches was a video filmed in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, where during the divine service on November 12 they glorified Russia. The Security service of Ukraine (SBU) opened criminal proceedings on the fact of "acquittal, recognition of lawfulness, denial of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, glorification of its participants". During the searches, law enforcement officers found pro-Russian literature, leaflets and other evidence. The investigation continues.

Volodymyr Zelenskyi indeed announced the preparation of a bill on the impossibility of operating religious organizations affiliated with Russia in Ukraine. However, this name indicates that Ukraine is protecting itself from the pro-Russian influence of any religious organization, and is not biased towards the Moscow Patriarchate Church.

У такий спосіб агітпроп використовує тактику підміни понять — приховує антиукраїнську риторику церкви Московського патріархату за звинуваченнями української влади у дискримінації за релігійною ознакою.

The Russian media are massively spreading information that Congressman Jamie Raskin allegedly called for the destruction of Russia because it is an Orthodox country with traditional values. And this is fake. Although it was not the Russian media that came up with it, but the American ones.

The fact that Raskin calls for a religious war against Russia, Orthodoxy and its traditional values, was said on the air of the FoxNews channel by host Tucker Carlson. And it was he who lied, since he is known for his commitment to Russia and has repeatedly disseminated manipulative theses. Here is the full text of Raskin's statement, but in short it sounds like this: Russia is the world center of corruption, totalitarianism, anti-feminism and violations of LGBT rights. At the same time, Ukraine is a democratic country that upholds the ideas of tolerance, human rights and freedoms. Therefore, it is clear to anyone, Democrat or Republican, why America should support Ukraine and do everything so that Russia loses this war.

They came up with a new goal for the so-called "special operation" in Russia. The "Kyiv regime" allegedly turned Ukraine into a "totalitarian hypersect" that professes "neo-paganism" as the basis of "radical nationalism." The assistant secretary of the Russian Security Council of the UN, Oleksiy Pavlov, also believes that the number of "satanic sects" in Ukraine is unknown. Still, the count "definitely runs into the hundreds." Instead, Ramzan Kadyrov announced the goal of "de-shaitanizing" Ukraine. According to the Constitution of Ukraine, every citizen of Ukraine has the right to freedom of worldview and religion. Ukrainians can practice any religion or not, participate freely in religious cults and ritual rites, and conduct religious activities. This right is limited by law only if religious beliefs affect the protection of the population's public order, health, and morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of other people. The church and religious organizations in Ukraine are separated from the state. Therefore, the Ukrainian authorities cannot influence the religious views of Ukrainians in any way.

According to the network of religious organizations report, as of January 1, 2021, several pagan currents were registered in Ukraine. These are 161 organizations, only 0.4% of the total number of religious organizations. Some researchers of religious currents consider Satanists to be a religious group of neo-pagan native believers, but it is only one of the scientific approaches. Primarily paganism and neo-paganism in Ukraine are associated with the return of people to ancient Slavic beliefs, which existed even in the days of Kyivan Rus and had nothing to do with the cult of Satan. Moreover, pagans considered themselves a light cult and were forbidden to perform dark rituals. Oleksiy Pavlov's references to religious beliefs, totalitarianism, and radical nationalism are an unsuccessful attempt to equate Ukraine with Nazi Germany.

Anonymous telegram channels and Russian media write about this. Allegedly, the Investigative Committee of Russia will open criminal proceedings on the arrest of teachers in the Kharkov region. The fake got into the Ukrainian information space because of the pro-Russian media and bloggers. They allegedly referred to a comment by Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk that the detainees would be tried under Article 483 of the Criminal Code (violation of the customs and laws of war). Like, the punishment for them provides for up to 12 years in prison and they are not subject to exchange, because they are not prisoners of war. Some telegram channels also hinted that not all teachers would live to see the trial. It is not true.

As journalist Iryna Romaliiska reported with reference to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Ukrainian police did not detain Russian teachers in the de-occupied territories of the Kharkiv region. Information about the detention was not confirmed in the office of the President of Ukraine. Subsequently, the Russian authorities denied the information about the detention of Russian teachers in Ukraine.

Most likely, this news was deliberately spread by pro-Russian resources in order to demonstrate the “ruthlessness” of the Ukrainian authorities, and subsequently its “absurdity”. This fake also echoes the Russian propaganda narrative about “Ukrainian Nazis.” Previously, fakes were spread that schoolchildren in the temporarily occupied part of the Kharkiv region were choosing Russian as the language of the studies process.