Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew – the head of the global Orthodox Church – has signed what is known as a “tomos”, a decree officially recognising an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Ukrainian Orthodox leaders approved the creation of a new, unified church split from the Moscow Patriarchate and elected 39-year-old Metropolitan Epiphanius I to lead it.
The move has provoked a furious response in Russia, where the Church has broken off links, deepening a split in the worldwide Orthodox Church.
Tags: hybrid war hybrid warfare russia ukraine tomos Ukraine ukraine ortodox church
![Visitors at the “Thank You With All My Heart” Ukrainian exhibition at the Council of Europe, featuring the Great Amber Heart and powerful war art. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}](https://empr.media/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/heart-300x171.png)
