Seizure of Religious Institutions

Aggressors may establish direct forcible and administrative control over local religious institutions, depriving them of canonical independence and subordinating them to their own spiritual centers. The elimination of independent jurisdiction makes it possible to remove authoritative national institutions (seizure of governance) and to use the religious apparatus for the long-term imposition of loyalty and the ideological consolidation of the occupation.

ID: T0100
Sub-techniques:  No sub-techniques
People: Ukrainians
Version: 1.0
Created: 21 April 2026
Last Modified: 21 April 2026

Procedure Examples

ID Name Description
C0009 "Eternal Peace" with Poland (1686)

The diplomatic entrenchment of spiritual occupation. Moscow secured the inclusion in the treaty of a clause on the jurisdiction of the Moscow patriarch over the Orthodox in Poland: "the higher Orthodox clergy shall receive consecration from the Metropolitan of Kyiv [already subordinated to Moscow]"[1][2].

C0008 Annexation of the Kyiv Metropolis by the Moscow Patriarchate (1685–1690)

The liquidation of independent jurisdiction to turn the church into an instrument of assimilation: "The annexation of the Ukrainian church to the Muscovite church in 1686" [2]. Moreover, these actions "were carried out not at all in accordance with lawful canonical prescriptions"[1][3].

C0079 Cultural Terror and the "Executed Renaissance" (1933–1938)

Mass closure and destruction of churches, as well as repressions against clergy, aimed at the complete destruction of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC)[4].

S0009 Diplomacy

The diplomatic entrenchment of spiritual occupation. Moscow secured the inclusion in the treaty of a clause on the jurisdiction of the Moscow patriarch over the Orthodox in Poland: "the higher Orthodox clergy shall receive consecration from the Metropolitan of Kyiv [already subordinated to Moscow]"[1][2].

S0008 Government

Institutional seizure and liquidation of an independent spiritual structure on the Right Bank: «In 1839, the tsarist authorities liquidated the Greek Catholic Church»[5].

C0059 Liquidation of the Greek Catholic Church (1839)

Institutional seizure and liquidation of an independent spiritual structure on the Right Bank: «In 1839, the tsarist authorities liquidated the Greek Catholic Church»[5].

S0011 Moscow Patriarchate

The liquidation of independent jurisdiction to turn the church into an instrument of assimilation: "The annexation of the Ukrainian church to the Muscovite church in 1686" [2]. Moreover, these actions "were carried out not at all in accordance with lawful canonical prescriptions"[1][3].

G0009 Russian Empire

Institutional seizure and liquidation of an independent spiritual structure on the Right Bank: «In 1839, the tsarist authorities liquidated the Greek Catholic Church»[5].

S0017 Secret Police and Security Services

Mass closure and destruction of churches, as well as repressions against clergy, aimed at the complete destruction of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC)[4].

G0008 Tsardom of Muscovy

The liquidation of independent jurisdiction to turn the church into an instrument of assimilation: "The annexation of the Ukrainian church to the Muscovite church in 1686" [2]. Moreover, these actions "were carried out not at all in accordance with lawful canonical prescriptions"[1][3].

G0008 Tsardom of Muscovy

The diplomatic entrenchment of spiritual occupation. Moscow secured the inclusion in the treaty of a clause on the jurisdiction of the Moscow patriarch over the Orthodox in Poland: "the higher Orthodox clergy shall receive consecration from the Metropolitan of Kyiv [already subordinated to Moscow]"[1][2].

G0010 USSR

Mass closure and destruction of churches, as well as repressions against clergy, aimed at the complete destruction of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC)[4].

References

  1. Вікіпедія. (2026). Анексія Київської митрополії Московським патріархатом — Вікіпедія.
  2. Вікіпедія. (2026). Іван Мазепа — Вікіпедія.
  3. Татьяна Таирова-Яковлева. (2011). ИВАН МАЗЕПА И РОССИЙСКАЯ ИМПЕРИЯ ИСТОРИЯ «ПРЕДАТЕЛЬСТВА».
  1. Лариса Якубова, большая команда. (2013). Відносини держави, суспільства і особи під час створення радянського ладу в Україні (1917 – 1938 рр.).
  2. Вікіпедія. (2026). Історія України — Вікіпедія.