The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) has intensified its activities across the African continent.
The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council said this in a post on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.
“Russia is sharply increasing the ROC’s influence in Africa. In just three years of the ROC’s exarchate operating on the continent, parishes have been established in 30 countries — half of them in 2022 alone. This indicates that the ROC’s growing activity in Africa is directly linked to Russia’s effort to gain more allies following the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” the CCD said.
The center explained that, under the guise of “protecting Orthodox Christians in Africa,” Russia is spreading influence and propaganda across the continent. For instance, ROC representatives tell local populations that Russia allegedly has no historical ties to colonialism, racism, or the slave trade — sensitive issues for African nations.
However, this is untrue, as Russia’s history of serfdom and its colonial wars in the Caucasus, Asia, and Europe point to the contrary, the disinformation watchdog said.
The CCD stressed that the ROC is a powerful tool for promoting the ideology of the “Russian world” and complements Russia’s military presence on the continent. Its goal is to boost support for Russian actions on the international stage.
Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, stated earlier that Russia is using loyal politicians in the European Union to advance the narrative that Ukraine is an “artificial state,” in an effort to sow division within the EU.
Source: Russian Orthodox Church expands activity in Africa – CCD
