Taras Kuzio - Russia’s Orthodox Church is Complicit in Crimes of Genocide, Abduction and Persecution

Dr Taras Kuzio is a British academic and Professor of Political Science at the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy, and an expert on politics, crime and security in Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia. Taras Kuzio is of Ukrainian descent and received a BA in economics from the University of Sussex, an MA in Soviet studies from the University of London and holds a doctorate in political science from the University of Birmingham; he was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University. His most recent book is Russian Nationalism and the Russian-Ukrainian War (2022), which was published prior to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. This follows two other books on Russia-Ukraine relations. In total, he is the author and editor of sixteen books. He is an associate research fellow at the UK Henry Jackson Society thinktank and has contributed to the Atlantic Council, Foreign Affairs, Kyiv Post, New Eastern Europe, and E-International Relations.
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[@terryfox9344]

One of the most enlightening guests in a fantastic series of guests. Thank you.

[@marcusdemetrius1446]

Thank you for having this guest. I'm a Ukrainian American Catholic and the repressions my grandparents faced in Ukraine(having to have secret church services in the woods)I found this fascinating.

[@SiliconCurtain]

👍👍👍

[@rofferuff489]

Freedom in russkia as ATP calls it :) SLAVA UKRAINE

[@eamonryan2198]

We in Ireland suffered a similar kind of religious oppression during the penal law period. We weren't allowed to practice our Catholicism in any way. Masses were celebrated in the open air by disguised priests. During the Mass lookouts were posted to watch for English soldiers searching for these hidden congregations. Priests who were captured were usually killed on the spot.

[@user-fz7zt6cw6f]

Alexey Uminsky was a senior priest for 30 years in Moscow who worked with the Hospices for adults and children. He also worked with the drug addicts and poor, trying to help them. He has been defrocked because he wouldn't use a new prayer in support of the war in Ukraine. Thousands of people have signed a petition because his appeal was rejected.

[@rolandscales9380]

@@eamonryan2198 That's an exact parallel to the oppression faced by the Huguenots in France, right down to having to post lookouts during divine service, and worshippers being sentenced to serving in the galleys (a brutal, lingering death in itself.)

[@tamarasidlartchouk3138]

Extremely important conversation! It wouldn’t be a bad idea to send those who believe in russian spirituality to the russian federation . And leave them there. Thank you, Jonathan and Taras! 👍👍👍💙💛👏👏

[@SiliconCurtain]

👍👍👍🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

[@user-kv5ry7br4m]

>Extremely important conversation!

[@eamonnclabby7067]

Absolutely

[@SirTDS]

@@SiliconCurtain FRANCE shut down 100 mosques in 2021, because they were preaching separatism.

[@ademirrodriguez4209]

What about you Tamaras? What you doing to help your brothers and sisters? Posting on KZbin? Come on Tamaras, go to the front lines!! WARPIG

[@vonries]

Thanks. Glory to Ukraine. God Bless Ukraine and her people. 🇺🇦🇺🇸

[@sot11cat]

This is not a "church". As an Orthodox myself, I can assure you this is pure and mere Ethnophyletism, or phyletist religious nationalism, not a general Slavic Ethnophyletism, but a special russian one. In Orthodoxy Ethnophyletism is considered to be among the worse modern day HERESIES. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyletism

[@SiliconCurtain]

Thank you. Powerful comment.

[@howtoappearincompletely9739]

Thanks for the technical term.

[@tamarasidlartchouk3138]

Totally agree 👍

[@buddyrojek9417]

They use icons that relegate murderers as saintly . It’s an abomination

[@amerigo88]

In the United States, the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) is self-governing (autocephalous). It is historically rooted in the Russian Orthodox missionaries who began evangelizing Alaska in 1794, just as the United States was consolidating under President Washington. My parish includes many American immigrants from Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Poland, and so on. In spite of the latest war to plague Ukraine, it is a tight knit community and we look forward to celebrating Pascha (Easter) this Sunday in accordance with the First Ecumenical Council's method for setting that date. We are all very sad about what is going on in the homelands and we pray communally for the family members still in Russia and Ukraine. I personally find Patriarch Kiril abhorrent, but am no fan of the Ecumenical Patriarch either. Both are morr skilled politicians than holy men.

[@EyesWideOpen61]

Some of these MAGA types in the US really do need to see this

[@danielschaeffer1294]

They don’t have the courage to find this stuff out, much less the IQ to absorb it.

[@eriks.9730]

I think that it would encourage them to emulate making their pseudo religious tendencies stronger.

[@pwp8737]

why? why let the truth get in the way of pronouncements by their great leader. There is no redeeming them.

[@concord14]

Sadly, I doubt it would help. I am a diehard MAGA type, but cannot understand the blinders some of these people wear.

[@concord14]

​@pwp8737 If you are referring to President Trump, you will find he is the one who authorized lethal aid to Ukraine and just the other day said, Ukraine needs to be saved. So..

[@lechkonradpowichrowski3965]

Excellent presentation of a very complex issue. Recommend to listen to this gentleman who has succeeded to clearly define the basics. Hard to understand what has happened since 2014 in Ukraine. Moreover, there's no religious liberty in Russia beyond the Russian Orthodox Church.

[@Fr4Gz36]

russian orthodox church is KGB they are told what to say and do

[@taras3702]

Exactly!

[@user-uo7fw5bo1o]

Christian Nationalists in the US need to see this

[@draganjagodic4056]

The very same is with Serbian orthodox church. Running military camps for children and teen agers, with instructors from Russia. The "best" trainees were sent to the similar military camps in Russia afterwards.

[@SiliconCurtain]

Awful

[@user-kv5ry7br4m]

170k UA children kidnapped by the Kremlin.

[@18_rabbit]

yep and most of us Yanks paying attention these past 25 years were very very well aware of that fact, and of how Serbia and other parts of the former Yugo were very problematical visavis modernity, liberty and human rights. It's time for the EU to get serious about former Yugo areas, and Hungarian violations of EU standards and basic rights! Also Ru operators have been going to SK (slovakia) for many years to run such youth camps, and it must stop, hard cold stop.

[@draganjagodic4056]

@@18_rabbit Because members of the former communist party and their offspring are ruling here, all through rigged elections. The recent mayor of Zagreb and his party were openly waving Soviet flags during elections, three years ago. Recent Croatian president, hated by everyone, is praising Putin. Again, all elections in Croatia since the year 2000 have been rigged. Twice did Croatian people vote against two laws (immigration of these jihadists and gendering in the school), both times ruling party rejected the results of these plebiscite votings. Fortunately, Croatian Army and vast majority of people are devoted to NATO and democracy.

[@georgek1234]

​@@18_rabbithear, hear

[@louisnaidu9140]

Thank you Jonathan for another interesting interview.

[@tigertiger1699]

Slav Ukraine 🇺🇦

[@agustinussiahaan6669]

Thanks, Jonathan. Slava Ukraine.

[@netherportals]

Imagine declaring a holy war because some guy wants to steal land instead of develop their own.

[@howtoappearincompletely9739]

It's not like Russia's short of land.

[@ticanwoneas7850]

They needed to attempt to steal it now because they know they would definitely not succeed later because a developed democratic Ukraine aligned with Europe would be beyond them.

[@andrewfarrington2193]

Very good. It's very salutary to hear in such well-informed detail how weird the Russian religious narrative is. Thanks again for all your efforts.

[@CarolynAcosta-mw2dl]

Very interesting interview, thanks!

[@helengrunow5094]

Another skillful interview with this excellent guest,ive just rewatched. Thankyou & Cheers! Slava Ukraini!💙💛

[@mrharry448]

Reminder. Cardinal Kirill the head of the Russian Orthodox Church was once Vladimir Putin's senior officer in the KGB

[@wordscapes5690]

I have been saying this for many years, but Orthodox people have been shouting me down. They are all silent now.

[@Frank-kx6ky]

...and the parade of fantastic guests goes on and on....Slava Ukraini from Belgium.

[@SiliconCurtain]

👍👍👍

[@georgek1234]

​@@SiliconCurtainI couldn't agree more... Jonathon, you continue to out do yourself with each new episode... you are a beacon of truth for humanity in this ever darkening world of lies... IMO Silicon Curtain is by far a more viable source of truth than anything propagated by AP News.... I'm so sick and tired of RU narrative in/on our mainstream media.

[@christineschafer5282]

Jonathan gives his guests plenty of room for them to give us their insights. Learnt a lot from this episode. Thankx

[@christineschafer5282]

It shoulda been LEARNED !!! 😂😅😊

[@jankowalyk7301]

Thank-you. Great conversation.

[@andoreanesnomeo1706]

Fascinating. Russian political culture today reminds me of the LOVE DEATH ROBOTS piece. They have demons.

[@donotmislead]

There is no Russian culture in Muscovy, just the Muscovite one, inherited from the Horde.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

Jonathan, we owe a debt of gratitude to you, for keeping us posted...have a great weekend everyone...E...

[@LisaNH934]

I agree! ❤ Eamonn - hope you have a great weekend too!

[@piseag458]

Indeed,hes an incredible source of information.. you too Eamonn.. tafari ! 😉😊

[@SiliconCurtain]

👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️

[@tamarasidlartchouk3138]

I stick to Eamonn , we really owe huge gratitude to Silicon Curtain

[@user-kv5ry7br4m]

@@SiliconCurtain IT'S ABOUT TIME john boy! The only reason RU went into Syria was to prepare their 3rd rate Soviet army for their UA genocide, aka satanic operations.

[@MarieGobeille]

✨Merci!✨

[@user-kv5ry7br4m]

Frenchy SF is outside of Odessa currently!

[@SuperMagnum2011]

Thanks .

[@beerman204]

I believe the religeous undertones in the Russian war with Ukraine is greatly under appreciated and under reported....

[@Joe_1sr9]

Very interesting and informative article. Thanks. Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦

[@oconnem1]

Fascination interview. I learned a lot and the penny dropped for me. Thank you.

[@user-rs1zl1vt5p]

Great thanks for your video and true information. ❤

[@d.stamstam6158]

Excellent talk everything is true of what he said

[@hildedirix2212]

I love listening to your insightful interviews

[@csmiller5221]

Back in circa 1967-1968, I attended the funeral of Foma Krigin, a White Russian, in Monmouth County, NJ. A friend of Mrs. Elizabeth Warawka drove her, my mother, and me to the funeral and the luncheon afterward. We sat at one table, and Foma Krigin's friends sat at the other table. Mrs. Shukoff and my mother were scandalized that Foma had been buried in a cardboard. coffin. What had happened to Foma's savings that he had set aside for his friends to bury him? His friends had pocketed Foma's funeral money, and there was nothing anybody could do about it. Then I asked my elders why two Russian Orthodox Churches were built nextdoor to the cemetery. My elders explained that one was the White Russian Orthodox Church, and the other was the Communist Red Russian Church. I do not know whether the White Russian Orthodox Church still exists in the USA, but I do not doubt that Putin's Red Russian Orthodox Church is still operating in the USA.

[@howtoappearincompletely9739]

An illuminating anecdote.

[@SiliconCurtain]

Amazing story.

[@tigertiger1699]

Finally I have a logical and I feel accurate explanation of Russia/ Putins basic motives..

[@unebrindille472]

Your guests are always interesting but Tara is fascinating. He has opened in my mind a whole new perspective on this conflict. The "religious" angle had never crossed my mind. Thank you so much for that.

[@18_rabbit]

yes, in traditional societies, and really any society, religion plays a major major part in conflict, particularly wars of aggression/choice, which is what this war is, & legally defined as such bcuz it is such. It's also a nonsensical war and thus the best example in known late modern history of pure sociopathological enterprise (i hesitate to use other terms like sociology etc bcuz not my bailywick). It's clear it's an enterprise, and there is massive profit involved for russia's tiny elite.

[@georgek1234]

my father said on many occasions, more men have died in the name of God, and Holy wars are the worst wars as they never seem to end.

[@michaelhughes7668]

So true.

[@keithdunwoody1302]

Super fascinating discussion. Thanks for bringing Taras on to share his deep knowledge on this topic. Really interesting. Thanks Jonathan!

[@hhumh6911]

fantastic conversation, as usual. thank you!

[@here_we_go_again2571]

Thank you for having this guest.

[@djparn007]

Thank you, Jonathan. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

[@Aussie-Mocha]

This was a good perspective and insight. More pieces of the puzzle brought together on the events and history that have evolved in this part of the world. 🎉 ✊🏻🇺🇦

[@user-bk5hy8kg7b]

Long live the West! SLAVA UKRAINE! from Italy ❤❤

[@TooBadToBeAway1]

Extremely interesting and enlightening talk.

[@yurilytviak9066]

That does it ! Ima by won ov yer buks… Thanks as always , Mr Curtain.

[@johncromwell2529]

Best interviews! Great work JF🙏🇺🇦👏

[@DarkestAlice]

Thank you, Jonathan and Taras Kuzio, for this very interesting conversation. Silicon Curtain has brought (together) the most interesting voices from and on Ukraine. Thank you, Jonathan, for all your hard work, very much appreciated. 🇺🇦 Перемоги і миру всім українцям! 🇺🇦

[@croatianwarmaster7872]

Identical situation with the Church of Serbia in the surrounding countries lile Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosova.

[@20chocsaday]

Do the Hapsburgs still live in people's hearts.

[@tigertiger1699]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@spacelemur7955]

I am sharing this with others. This is one of the most interesting and insightful talks I have heard about Ukraine and Russia. It's right up there with Tim Snyder.

[@SiliconCurtain]

👍👍👍

[@thomassparrevohn8577]

Thank you - A great and very informative episode

[@Corolla97ww]

Another most interesting interview.

[@mryouben]

The rushist empire is starting to crumble

[@donsheehan5144]

Very informative

[@LisaNH934]

Be back later to watch...thank you !

[@eamonnclabby7067]

....😊❤...

[@jaksababarovic2161]

Serbian orthodox church was doing same during Serbian occupation of parts of Croatia and Bosnia 1991-1995!

[@rofferuff489]

Russki mir I hear it is called. If it looks like shit, smells like shit it probably is shit 😂

[@MrBudgiejoe]

Let’s get this great channel up to it’s first 100,000 subscribers guys! Spread awareness of Ukraine Worldwide 🌍🌍🌍👍

[@lucyd2092]

Another very interesting interview, thank you Jonathan and your very enlightened guest

[@nadavbenshlomo4845]

Fascinating as usual

[@WalterBurton]

👍👍👍

[@tracywright6908]

Where do you find the fabulous folks for your impeccable interviews? I can always depend on SC for de-Putinized coverage of important geopolitical matters. We don’t have this in DC. I can’t even listen to vapid American media anymore. Much Respect from Tracy the Latvian American ❤️‍🔥

[@oldernu1250]

FSB and Russian Orthodox Church are both branches of Russian siloviki. Americans, Europeans, Aisians, South Americans see the church as separate from the state. In Russia, they are bound together. Under Ivan the terrible the opritchniki were blessed by the patriarchs. Putin is using this example consciously.

[@Mariupol_is_Ukraine]

❤️🖤🫶🏻💙💛

[@ericwillis777]

Another great interview, thanks Jonathan, I wish that the understanding I get of Russia would surprise me, but everything I learn makes me realize that the Russian "weltschauug" is perhaps worse than I imagined. But, the last comment, about Russia being out of it's time surely warrents a historian, an expert in medieval history, to compare modern day Russia to those times, and explain if, and why, Russia never moved on to a modern era as was the case in " The West".

[@SiliconCurtain]

👍👍👍 Timothy Snyder excels at this kind of explanation

[@ericwillis777]

@@SiliconCurtain Thanks, I'll follow up.

[@crimeajewel]

❤❤❤❤❤❤🇺🇦 🇺🇦 ❤❤❤❤

[@MrBudgiejoe]

Ukrainian awareness is vital guys! Please like and comment here! 😊 Ukraine needs our help 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦💙

[@user-cm8co5nx4k]

Another fine guest and wonderful interview.

[@rofferuff489]

Thanks Jonathan for another great stream. Very enlightening. Just gotto "love" russki mir

[@SiliconCurtain]

👍👍👍

[@jackbed5080]

Very accurate.

[@howtoappearincompletely9739]

That was very interesting, and about a topic on which I am underinformed. I'm a little bit more informed on it by now, I guess!

[@SiliconCurtain]

👍👍👍

[@hawklord100]

The FSB/Putin have seen how iran holds power through the grip of a reasonably small devote religious zealots and the brutality that zealots will inflict on the 'others' knows no bounds' even the western church lead the way in its brutal treatments and torture of the 'others' in the dark ages when the church ruled supreme.

[@AL-ku1zq]

Another great interview Jonathan, thank you.

[@SiliconCurtain]

Thanks for listening

[@piseag458]

Haven't even watched yet, the Kremlin trolls will be apoplectic.. 😅

[@LisaNH934]

😅 I try to annoy them just to get more algo comments 😜 but I can't today 😥 🇺🇦 SLAVA 🇺🇦

[@piseag458]

​@@LisaNH934 😂 your an expert.. 😊✨️🇺🇦✌️

[@LisaNH934]

@@piseag458 😘 ty ...I'm getting there 😂 have a great weekend!

[@piseag458]

@LisaNH934 such modesty.. thankyou you too!🥰😊

[@eamonnclabby7067]

Wonderful thread....❤❤😊😊

[@piusxiv]

Kudos on your contents very informative. But if you can cut the introduction shorter and time the interviews to thirty minutes I’m sure you’d get more hits. A fan in U.S.A.🇺🇸

[@takingbacktheplanet]

there are no ukrainians. there's no taiwan. there were no Tutsi. and it goes on... terrible.

[@piushalg5041]

The independence of protestant churches is a rather recent status. In protestant territories of Europe the rulers or the ruling establishment were closely connected if not ruling the state's church. This state changed only after WW Ii.

[@gerryhouska2859]

The world is a wonderful place!

[@PeanutsDadForever]

Thanks for your great videos. 🇦🇺👴🏻

[@hansleijonmarck9768]

During 1990:es I attended an Russian Ortodox church in Western Europe. The priests called blessings for Kirill. Now, so many years later, I feel tainted by the blod-letting he is promoting in Ukraine.

[@localbiztoweb]

“The end of World War II brought new sorrows when Russians occupied Romania and the country became Communist. In 1945 the Communists organized a “Congress of Cults,” a meeting where religious leaders were expected to speak in support of the new atheistic government. Many did. Sabina urged her husband to wipe the shame from the face of Jesus by refusing. Wurmbrand reminded her that if he did, she would lose her husband. Sabina replied, “I don’t need a coward for a husband.” And so Wurmbrand declared before four thousand delegates that it was their duty to glorify God and Christ. He returned home to lead his underground church and promote the gospel among Romania’s Russian invaders. He even smuggled Bibles into Russia, disguised as Communist propaganda. And then he disappeared. On this day, February 29, 1948, as Wurmbrand walked to church to prepare for morning service, two men hustled him into a van and drove away. He was imprisoned under a pseudonym for eight and one half years and his wife and remaining son, Mihai,did not know where he was or even whether he was alive. Government agents, posing as ex-prisoners, told Sabina they had witnessed her husband’s funeral in the Communist prison. Those were years of torture and brainwashing. For seventeen hours a day, repetitious phrases were dinned into his ears: “Communism is good. Christianity is stupid! Give up. Give up!” His captors carved and burned his body and broke many of his bones. Sabina also was brutalized for three years, imprisoned and forced to work at digging a canal. Mihai was forced to live on the streets during part of this time. Miraculously, all three survived. Released, the Wurmbrands immediately returned to secret church work. Soon Wurmbrand was sent back to prison.”……

[@rebeccaharrishunt1181]

Two comments: First, the Orthodox Church does not operate on a papal-type hierarchy, but on a collegial template, with the Ecumenical Patriarch (Bartholomew of Constantinople) as "first among equals"; this lends to each region not being subject to the kinds of universal decrees one sees in the Roman Catholic Church. (which, it must be said, excommunicated the East in 1054 in a storm of accusations and theological disagreements). Second, it is of utmost importance to NOT presume that just because the Russian patriarchate has descended to the utmost depths of corruption, ALL local/regional Orthodox Churches have ALSO descended into that horrible condition.

[@cliffgaither]

What religious leaders haven't been involved in genocide ?!

[@-Alemann]

Stalimir Putler. He's all in once.

[@danielschaeffer1294]

You forgot the honorific, “Ayatollah.” The ideology may vary from one totalitarian society to another but the result is always the same.

[@42VS42]

Exactly the same as the equivalent entity here in the US. I'll leave it at that.

[@SiliconCurtain]

I’m not a big fan of any religion, but are they really comparable?

[@howtoappearincompletely9739]

@@SiliconCurtain Seems a tad hyperbolic.

[@user-kv5ry7br4m]

@@howtoappearincompletely9739 COINTEL, Sun Tzu, virtue signaling, anything else ?

[@howtoappearincompletely9739]

@@user-kv5ry7br4m You might have to elaborate if you expect me to understand your point.

[@yurilytviak9066]

I’m curious about the rus, orth. church outside of russia (ROCOR)Are they also connected to the kremlin? Can anyone direct me to some information concerning this?

[@rofferuff489]

It has shown to be that connection in Sweden, think those were closed down. Anything russki related outside of russkia is suspicious and should be treated as such. 🇺🇦🇧🇻🇫🇮🇸🇪🇺🇦

[@SiliconCurtain]

It’s complex.

[@user-kv5ry7br4m]

@@rofferuff489 They are SIGINT outposts, inside Dumps head and also near our U.S airbases. Do a ROCOR church geo search inside usa.

[@lawrencenabozniak3498]

Look at the case of Yurii Kerpatenko. It's a perfect example of what occupied territories can expect from the Russians.

[@johncampbell1243]

Thank you for a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the churches in Eastern Europe. Deep roots, many vectors of influence.

[@user-bk9uy2wx9q]

😎👍👍👍👍

[@JosephHoggang-bk4bk]

Are they considered christian church?

[@MamaJanella]

BYZANTIUM was Rome, not Moscow. Do I have to tag Timothy Snyder??

[@idicula1979]

A cult of the state.

[@IgorSinitsky]

Tucker Carlson occuzed Zelensky in oppressing orthodox clerics

[@worriedukrainian]

Tell that to the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia

[@-Deena.]

Taras screams *expert*

[@Gottimus1610]

ORCodox

[@davidpeacock5912]

Russia's orthodox church obviously does not belong to anything to do with caring and LOVEING everybody around the world. How do you manage to exist in this modern world. ? SHAME on your preaching..

[@mattcat83]

So if Ukraine is really just Russia, when will Russia release Muslim peoples to form their own states with self-determination?

[@donotmislead]

Ukraine is really Russia, the problem is that Muscovy is not. And the Muslims are totally dominating in Muscovy, despite the official pseudo-Orthodox religion.

[@Fightingturtle404]

lol a church? just wagner in fancy robes walking around.

[@davidshapiro292]

i wonder what he thinks about what israel is doing in Gaza.

[@vasilispatsalidis5683]

😂

[@abodabalo]

Russia’s Orthodox Church has only limited presence in Israel.

[@SiliconCurtain]

War crimes are war crimes, wherever they are committed and by whom.

[@davidshapiro292]

@@SiliconCurtain So what do you think should be done about Israel doing their thing in Gaza?

[@EEX97623]

@@davidshapiro292Heard of whataboutism?

[@Furri1bia]

This will age like milk.

[@piseag458]

or mature like a cheese.

[@peterjaniceforan3080]

🇷🇺😳