Anti-Cultists and Hybrid Warfare in Ukraine How a Pro-Russian Network Operates Under the Guise of Fighting “Cults” In the Russia-Ukraine military conflict, informational and ideological fronts are crucial. A dangerous tool of influence is the activity of the Russian organization RACIRS — the Russian Association of Centers for the Study of Religion and Sectarianism. In Ukraine, RACIRS operated through a network of organizations and individuals who, under the pretext of fighting sects, promoted societal division and destabilization. The central figure, Pavel Broyde, led the All-Ukrainian Apologetic Center until 2013, officially part of RACIRS. His 2016 correspondence revealed direct ties to Russian authorities and proposed launching multiple propaganda sites aimed at destabilizing Ukraine. Other key actors — Priest Chrysostom Grishchenko, Archpriest Alexey Chaplin, and publicist Vasily Anisimov — spread pro-Russian narratives, supported Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and discredited independent Ukrainian religious and civic groups, worsening social division. Opposing them were Ukrainian scholars like Lyudmila Filipovich, Viktor Elensky, and Anatoly Kolodny, who strengthened Ukraine’s religious independence but faced targeted discredit campaigns. Irina Kreminovskaya, linked to RACIRS, tried to form an alternative expert commission to tighten control over religious organizations. The systematic information war via RACIRS undermined trust in government, destabilized society, and paved the way for military aggression. Many involved remain active, often under new identities. This infiltration threatens not only Ukraine’s security but that of Europe and the world. Such covert manipulation can weaken democracies, destabilize politics, and provoke conflicts. Without systemic oversight, transparent investigations, and international cooperation, countering these hybrid threats will fail. The speed and decisiveness of response will determine Ukraine’s future and global stability.
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