DISINFO: Ecumenical Patriarch recognised the autocephaly of Ukrainian Orthodox Church with US blessing
SUMMARY
Those who know the ecclesiastical issue of Ukraine understand that this is a dispute between the United States and Russia that goes far beyond the Orthodox faith. Many analysts, theologians, priests, politicians and personalities have argued that Patriarch Bartholomew formally recognised in 2019 a schismatic church under the Epiphany within Ukraine beyond his jurisdiction, with the blessings of the United States and for the purpose of political control of millions of believers of the Canonical Church under the flock of the Moscow Patriarchate.
There is a lot of evidence that Bartholomew is American-minded and aims to hurt the Russian church and its flock. However, it has turned towards half of the world Orthodoxy with 150 million believers who are on the flock of the Russian Church and are expressed by Patriarch Kirill.
RESPONSE
Pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets frequently attack the establishment of an autocephalous Ukrainian church. The Constantinople Patriarchy, not the US, decided to grant the autocephaly to the Ukrainian church. The final decision was made in January 2019, when all members of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate signed off the Tomos of autocephaly. The signing of the Tomos happened after months of careful preparations and considerations by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy Synod.
For more information and analysis on pro-Kremlin disinformation against the Church of Ukraine see here.