In Belgium, a network of Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) centers posing as 'Ukrainian churches' working with refugees was uncovered. These centers operate in ordinary residential buildings with non-profit status, enabling them to access state subsidies despite allegiance to Moscow. Visitors' contact information collected during services is allegedly used for recruitment purposes. Some priests rent premises and invite Ukrainians under the pretense of a 'Ukrainian church.' Intelligence indicates that up to 90% of new parishes in Europe are financed by pro-Russian oligarch Vadim Novinsky. Belgian authorities consider these centers purely religious, complicating countermeasures. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine lacks the right to establish parishes abroad, creating a vacuum exploited by ROC. This activity forms part of Russia's broader long-term propaganda and hybrid warfare strategy to justify aggression and manipulate narratives, including claims of 'fighting fascism' in Ukraine. The network's operations are part of efforts to influence Ukrainian refugees and diaspora populations in Europe.

In Belgium, a network of Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) centers posing as 'Ukrainian churches' working with refugees was uncovered. These centers operate in ordinary residential buildings with non-profit status, enabling them to access state subsidies despite allegiance to Moscow. Visitors' contact information collected during services is allegedly used for recruitment purposes. Some priests rent premises and invite Ukrainians under the pretense of a 'Ukrainian church.' Intelligence indicates that up to 90% of new parishes in Europe are financed by pro-Russian oligarch Vadim Novinsky. Belgian authorities consider these centers purely religious, complicating countermeasures. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine lacks the right to establish parishes abroad, creating a vacuum exploited by ROC. This activity forms part of Russia's broader long-term propaganda and hybrid warfare strategy to justify aggression and manipulate narratives, including claims of 'fighting fascism' in Ukraine. The network's operations are part of efforts to influence Ukrainian refugees and diaspora populations in Europe.