Putin's deep state apparatus attacks the Ecumenical Patriarch

According to the Russians, the Ecumenical Patriarch is a rogue instrument of British intelligence, collaborating with extreme nationalist elements and even neo-Nazis. Aiming to annihilate the Orthodox Church of Russia by seizing several churches from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia from the Moscow Patriarchate.

Bartholomew is accused by the Russians that “the Ecumenical Patriarch’s aggression is not limited to Ukraine and the Baltic states. His insidious behavior is gradually spreading to all the countries of Eastern Europe. They speak of “insidiousness” on the part of the Patriarch that is “gradually spreading to the countries of Eastern Europe. He plans to grant autocephaly to the unrecognized Orthodox Church of Montenegro to launch a campaign of repression against the ‘particularly stubborn’ Serbian Orthodox Church. He is acting like the false prophets as described in the Sermon on the Mount. That is, ‘they approach you dressed as sheep, but inside they are bloodthirsty wolves. By what he is doing, Bartholomew is dissolving the living Body of the Church-literally.”

The Bulgarian news agency BGNES reports that “Moscow is openly supporting Belgrade in an attempt to destabilize Montenegro, which is why it is attacking the Ecumenical Patriarch. The Bulgarians link the holy war between Moscow and Istanbul to the political turmoil currently taking place in Montenegro and the power recently gained by Milan Knezevic’s pro-Russian and pro-Serbian party.

Also, in 2016, Montenegro had a coup attempt in order to prevent the country’s pro-Western trajectory. The plot, which involved Russians and Serbs, aimed to overthrow the government and assassinate Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic. The move was actively supported by the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate granted autocephaly to the Church of Ukraine, which the Moscow Patriarchate, in accord with Vladimir Putin, condemned.

Patriarch Bartholomew criticized Patriarch Kirill for supporting the invasion of Ukraine, calling it a savage conflict.

Historically, disputes have arisen over church primacy and the Ecumenical Patriarchate's authority to grant autocephaly, notably concerning Ukraine.