US House Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) is vigorously leading a campaign to halt military aid for Ukraine, based on her claims that Ukraine persecutes Christians. But a closer look reveals she’s just parroting Russian propaganda aimed at undermining the Christian country of Ukraine.
Recently, a plethora of articles depicting Luna’s disinformation war against Ukraine have surfaced. In Orthodox Christianity, she blasts Ukraine’s President Zelensky for sabotaging religious freedom by “banning the Orthodox Church.” This surreptitiously skewers reality. Russia is the country whose occupying forces in Ukraine violently close churches.
As a two term Congresswoman, her meteoric rise as a darling of the GOP hard right is miraculous. In 2023, Time magazine named the Florida Representative Luna as one of its 100 most rising stars. The NY Post featured a photo of Luna wearing nothing except a scant bikini. But beneath the fluff something seems amiss.
Congresswoman Luna mischaracterizes everything because she’s a mouthpiece for the Kremlin, a National Security vulnerability for America.
Contrary to Kremlin spun rumors, Russia’s Orthodox Church in Ukraine has not been banned. Last year Ukraine’s President Zelensky signed bill 8371 banning the religious activities of any organization connected to the aggressor state of Russia. Religious freedom flourishes in areas of Ukraine not under Russian control. Congregations can worship at any church they desire.
The law will remove Kremlin aligned clergy with the Russian-aligned Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) which is seamlessly connected to the Kremlin’s Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). Some claim that both churches are legally separate, and thus not a security problem for Ukraine. However, a Ukrainian Commission has deemed that the separation is completely invalid.
In reality, the ROC is organization controlled by the Kremlin and many of their hierarchs openly support the Kremlin’s their goal of annihilating Ukraine’s people and culture. Russian President Vladimir Putin constantly laments oppression of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). Historically the Russian Orthodox Church housed Kremlin operatives, and nothing has changed.
Therefore, it’s no surprise Ukraine’s Security Service initiated criminal proceedings against 100 UOC clergy that assisted the Russian invaders, resulting in 26 convictions. Last year the ROC declared a holy war espousing violence against Ukraine. This well justified law also represents the will of Ukrainian people with 82% expressing a distrust of the UOC.
Many Congress members are spreading the same Kremlin propaganda. In April, 2024, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) a leading opponent of Ukraine aid, claimed the Ukrainian government was attacking Christianity and Russia was a protectorate of Christianity. Her ignorance was refuted by Mission Eurasia, which reported that 47 church leaders were murdered by Russian forces occupying Ukraine.
Unfortunately, the murder of pastors is the tip of a terrible iceberg. Russian forces in occupied areas of Ukraine have closed all Evangelical churches, terrorized or imprisoned Christians for worshipping their faith, and bombed 600 churches. These atrocities are well documented in the film A Faith Under Siege.
Many Congress members are promoting Kremlin disinformation which traces to the usual suspect, Kremlin money. Stephen Moore, a founder of the Ukraine Freedom Project has identified Russian Oligarch, Vadym Novinsky as the kingpin behind this false messaging scheme in Congress.
Vadym Novinsky, is a former member of the Ukrainian Parliament. While in Parliament he tried to do the bidding of Russian President Putin by undermining Ukraine’s Democracy, and passing laws benefiting autocratic Russia.
Novinsky is currently worth $1.2 billion, enough to spread a lot of devious Russian propaganda. Novinsky recently appeared on (pro-Kremlin) Tucker Carlson’s podcast with nonsensical statements such as Ukraine is a dictatorship.
Speculation abounds about how much money Novinsky has obliquely percolated into Washington. Last year Stephen Moore estimated that 30% of GOP offices visited by his staff had expressed concern about Zelensky persecuting Christians. It should be noted that the Foreign Agents Registration Act allows a religious exemption for lobbying purposes.
American Steve Richards has produced a documentary, Beyond Bucha. He interviewed Ukrainian pastors from different denominations. They emphatically stated Russia not Ukraine persecutes or murders Christians.
Recently, Russian strikes on Ukraine have skyrocketed, resulting in hundreds of civilians murdered or injured, including children. Anna Paulina Luna should repent her mistakes and advocate protection for Ukraine’s innocent civilians. That’s what real Christians do.
The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.