Peskov: The Russian Federation will protect the parishioners of the UOC (MP) "diplomatic measures"

Russia will defend the interests of the Orthodox parishioners of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine if they are persecuted, just as it protects the "interests of Russian-speaking" in this country, said Dmitry Peskov spokesman Dmitry Putin on Friday.

To the question of how exactly Russia intends to protect believers, Peskov replied: “Exclusively political and diplomatic measures,” TASS reports.

The Kremlin spokeswoman commented on the decision of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the eve of his readiness to provide autocephaly with the Ukrainian United Local Orthodox Church after it is created. According to Peskov, the Kremlin is "concerned" with this decision, but at the same time they do not intend to intervene in the "inter -church dialogue".

Now in Ukraine there are several Orthodox churches, including the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). The leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church sharply condemns the decisions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the issue of Ukraine, which the Russian Orthodox Church considers its "canonical territory." The Russian Orthodox Church claim that the emergence of an autocephalous church in Ukraine can lead to violence. Supporters of autocephaly, in particular, are accused of striving to capture temples and monasteries, which are now under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that the Ukrainian authorities guarantee compliance with the rights of believers of all faiths.

In 2014, the need to protect Russian -language citizens of Ukraine, in 2014, justified his request for the Federation Council to allow the use of military force in this country. Russia annexed Crimea and continues to assist the separatists in the Donbass.