Russian propaganda at Vatican ‘long ignored as threat,’ says Head of UGCC
This was stated by the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), His Beatitude Sviatoslav, during a meeting with the staff of Ukrinform, commenting on the influence of Russian information narratives on the international church and diplomatic environment.
According to the Primate of the UGCC, the Church’s activities today have a clear international dimension, as most of its structures operate outside Ukraine. This inevitably gives every pastoral visit a diplomatic character.
“When I visit other countries to meet with our faithful, it is always also about meetings with journalists, explanations, and commentary. Our relations with the Holy See exist in this same context,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted.
He emphasized that Russian propaganda in the Vatican is real and operates through official diplomatic channels, but until recently there was disbelief that manipulation could take place at such a level.
“For a long time, the Vatican did not realize that propaganda could operate at the level of official diplomatic representatives. They did not believe that Russia’s ambassador to the Holy See could openly manipulate or simply lie, because diplomacy is traditionally built on trust,” the Head of the UGCC explained.
As an example, he cited the case of two Ukrainian priests abducted in Berdiansk, whose fate remained unknown for almost a year and a half. After the location of their detention was established, the Vatican received official information from the Russian side about their conditions of confinement, which differed significantly from the real testimonies.
“The discrepancy between the official ‘picture’ and what was actually happening in the places of detention was striking,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav stressed.
He noted that Russia’s propaganda machine constantly produces new information narratives, presented in the form of simple formulas and messages aimed at a broad audience.
“These are a kind of information bullets fired at everyone and everywhere. We know well what information and psychological operations are, but for a long time the Vatican did not perceive itself as a space where such a war is being waged,” the Primate of the UGCC said.
According to him, the situation is now gradually changing. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has built a systematic mechanism of communication with representatives of the Roman Curia.
“Several times a year, meetings take place with mid-level officials – the people who shape the analytical environment. We systematically explain contexts, topics, and narratives and track where the next information attacks originate,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav said.
He also drew attention to the role of Italian media, which are one of the key channels for disseminating information to Vatican officials.
“It is precisely in the Italian media space that most officials of the Holy See live – they read these publications and respond to them. Therefore, we clearly understand how and in what form this propaganda operates today,” the Head of the UGCC concluded.
As reported by Ukrinform, His Beatitude Sviatoslav previously noted that under martial law, a journalist’s word carries special weight and requires maximum responsibility, as it can both cause harm and become a tool for healing society.
