KAZAN, June 17. /TASS/. The Orthodox Church in Ukraine is effectively on the verge of being legally banned, and the Kiev regime is doing everything it can to make this happen, Russian Foreign Minister’s special envoy for international cooperation on ensuring the right to freedom of religion Mikhail Melekh said at the Russia-ASEAN Business Forum.

"Ukraine is currently the most striking example of violations of believers’ rights in the world. Clergy are regularly attacked, and criminal cases are brought against them. Their real estate and churches are being seized, and the church itself is effectively on the verge of being prohibited by law. The Kiev regime, at the very least, is doing everything it can to achieve this," the diplomat said during the session titled "Traditional Spiritual and Moral Values and Models of State-Religion Relations in Russia and ASEAN Countries."

According to Melekh, there is currently no state-religious dialogue in Ukraine.

TASS is the Russia-ASEAN Business Forum’s information partner.