The Impact of the Ukrainian Factor on the Foreign Policy of the Russian Orthodox Church

The social and political position of the Russian Orthodox Church during the Russian-Ukrainian crisis of 2014 and the following religious and political conflict with the Constantinople Patriarchate in 2018-2019 is down to the ambition to defend its interests, the integrity of the Church, the interests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and to the intention to play an independent role in the post-soviet space. Ukrainian events accelerated many processes and made them more evident. The latter includes the changes in the worldview of the Russian Orthodox Church. During the crisis, the idea of independence from the state, State-Church separation, human rights including the freedom of conscience enjoyed a high-profile. The attempt to develop the dioceses and the mission outside the "canonical territory" of the Russian Orthodox Church (as a result of a church split with Constantinople) probably will remain a symbolic step. Meanwhile, the involvement in the global mission widens the horizon of the representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church. The globalization project developed by the Moscow Patriarchate has the potential to strengthen the Church position as the major civil institution on post-soviet space. The Ukrainian crisis didn't destroy Russian Orthodoxy but gave a new impetus to its progress.