“A serious concern is caused by the facts of discrimination and violence against representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and its objects of worship,” the report says.
As the diplomats point out, the split of the church and the “deliberate clash of Orthodox believers” are instruments of the political games of Kiev.
"We urge the Ukrainian authorities not to interfere in the affairs of the church, as it should be a secular state," - stressed in the department.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also condemned the introduction of martial law in Ukraine "under a false pretext."
“We consider inadmissible a violation of the rights and freedoms of citizens in favor of the political and electoral interests of the ruling authorities,” the diplomats added.
Earlier, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said that in Ukraine there was a direct state intervention in the affairs of the church.
On December 15, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko declared that the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church had been established in Ukraine, and that Metropolitan UOC KP Epiphaniy (Dumenko) was elected its head.