Lithuania’s foreign minister said on Monday that the authorities must limit the activities and influence of Russian special services within the structures of the Lithuanian Orthodox Church.

This was reported by LRT.

Minister Kestutis Budris made the statement after the publication of a national threat assessment conducted by Lithuanian special services, which states that the Orthodox Archdiocese of Vilnius and Lithuania remains dependent on the Moscow Patriarchate despite public statements about a desire for greater autonomy.

According to him, it is necessary to prevent the activities of Russian special services within this structure.

“If this were a company seeking to invest in a strategic sector, we would check whether it corresponds to national security interests. Because of its ties with Russian special services and their direct influence, it would not be allowed to own assets near our strategic facilities,” the minister said.

He added that the authorities must “carefully remove” individuals attempting to exert influence within the organization.

As LF reported, the threat assessment prepared by the State Security Department and the Second Operational Services Department under the Ministry of National Defence states that the Orthodox Church plays a significant role in shaping and maintaining “ideological narratives” promoted by the Russian regime.

According to the intelligence assessment, by using its dioceses Russia spreads ideology and thereby strengthens its influence abroad.

After the intelligence report appeared, the Lithuanian Orthodox Archdiocese released a comment emphasizing that it is not a branch of any foreign religious organization.