Kazakhstani public figure Turar Kusainov urged the authorities not to permit Patriarch Kirill to attend the congress of world and traditional religion leaders in Astana.
This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
Turar Kusainov has criticized the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, calling him “political propaganda in a cassock” who blesses war and justifies the killing of Ukrainians. Kusainov emphasized that remaining silent in such circumstances amounts to complicity in Russia's crimes.
There is a growing sentiment worldwide that the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) has become a tool for disseminating Kremlin propaganda and promoting militarism. Even in countries that have traditionally been aligned with Moscow, there is an increasing recognition that the ROC today prioritizes ideological expansion and war propaganda over faith and spirituality. Recent events surrounding Patriarch Kirill's visit further illustrate that Russia's influence in Kazakhstan is diminishing. Kazakhstan has already banned the "immortal regiment" march and restricted the activities of several Russian propagandists, according to the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.