Russian Orthodox Army

The Russian Orthodox Army was one of the number of pro-Russian separatist militia units in the Donbas region described as "pro-Tsarist", "extremist" Eastern Orthodox Christian.{{cite book |last1=Kuzio |first1=Taras |title=Ukraine: Democratization, Corruption, and the New Russian Imperialism |date=2015 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |pages=110–111|quote=the Russian Orthodox Army, one of a number of separatist units fighting for the “Orthodox faith,” revival of the Tsarist Empire, and the Russkii Mir. Igor Girkin (Strelkov [Shooter]), who led the Russian capture of Slovyansk in April 2014, was an example of the Russian nationalists who have sympathies to pro-Tsarist and extremist Orthodox groups in Russia. ... the Russian Imperial Movement ... has recruited thousands of volunteers to fight with the separatists. ... separatists received support from Russian neo-Nazis such as the Russian Party of National Unity who use a modified swastika as their party symbol and Dugin's Eurasianist movement. The paramilitaries of both of these ... are fighting alongside separatists.}}Laruelle, M. (2019). Russian Nationalism: Imaginaries, Doctrines, and Political Battlefields. United Kingdom: Routledge. (p. 206)

Starting with the onset of insurgency in Ukraine in early 2014, many central figures in Donetsk were referred to be directly or indirectly related to Russian National Unity (RNU), most notably Pavel Gubarev, a prominent spokesman with held multiple titles (leader of the Donbas militia, governor of the Donetsk People’s Republic, its foreign affairs minister, and the founder of the New Russia Party), who besides stating ROA was organised by RNU under his control also declared himself leader of the RNE section in Donetsk.Laruelle, M. (2019). Russian Nationalism: Imaginaries, Doctrines, and Political Battlefields. United Kingdom: Routledge. (p. 208){{Cite journal |last=Mitrokhin |first=Nikolay |date=2015 |title=Infiltration, instruction, invasion: Russia's war in the Donbass |url=https://spps-jspps.autorenbetreuung.de/files/07-mitrokhin.pdf |journal=Journal of Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=234, note 38 |quote=In the Donbass region, the RNE organized the small but highly effective group Russkaia pravoslavnaia armiia (Russian Orthodox army), which was de facto under the control of RNE member Pavel Gubarev, by Gubarev’s own account. |access-date=2022-03-25 |archive-date=2016-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528025541/https://spps-jspps.autorenbetreuung.de/files/07-mitrokhin.pdf |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Likhachev |first1=Vyacheslav |date=July 2016 |title=The Far Right in the Conflict between Russia and Ukraine |url=https://www.ifri.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/rnv95_uk_likhachev_far-right_radicals_final.pdf |access-date=1 March 2022 |publisher=Russie.NEI.Visions in English |pages=18–28 |archive-date=13 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313153346/https://www.ifri.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/rnv95_uk_likhachev_far-right_radicals_final.pdf |url-status=live }} Exactly when the RNE affiliates were created in Ukraine has not been possible to establish. Historian Marlène Laruelle states that while there are suspicions of former RNU-leader Barkashov being close to commander Verin, no reliable sources in Ukraine can verify that, and ROA's own Facebook page displayed no direct connection with RNE.{{cite book | last=Laruelle | first=M. | title=Russian Nationalism: Imaginaries, Doctrines, and Political Battlefields | publisher=Taylor & Francis | year=2018 | isbn=978-0-429-76198-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SjZyDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT193 | access-date=2022-04-12 | page=193}}

The ROA reportedly had 4,000 members according to Russian journalists, while eyewitnesses estimated their membership to be at 500.

Notable engagements of the ROA include the June 2014 skirmishes in Mariupol and Amvrosiivka Raion.{{cite news | url=http://www.0629.com.ua/news/554582 | title=В Мариуполе бойцы Ляшко задержали представителя "Русской православной армии" (In Mariupol Ljashko fighters detained by "Russian Orthodox army") | work=Mariupol News | date=13 June 2014 | access-date=13 July 2014 | language=ru | archive-date=24 July 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724093304/https://www.0629.com.ua/news/554582 | url-status=live }} The headquarters of the ROA is located in an occupied Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) building in Donetsk city.{{cite news | url=http://www.dialog.ua/news/6326_1403014450 | title=Репортаж из казармы Русской Православной Армии (Reports of Russian Orthodox Army barracks) | work=Dialog.ua | date=17 June 2014 | access-date=13 July 2014 | language=ru | archive-date=11 May 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511101032/https://www.dialog.ua/news/6326_1403014450 | url-status=live }} Members had no special training apart from the usual conscription service in the army{{cite web |url=http://www.charismanews.com/world/44061-quoting-old-testament-new-pro-russia-militia-group-lines-up-in-ukraine |title=Quoting Old Testament, New Pro-Russia Militia Group Lines Up in Ukraine |last=Baczynska |first=Gabriela |date=2 June 2014 |website=Charisma News |access-date=21 January 2017 |archive-date=11 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511101026/https://www.charismanews.com/world/44061-quoting-old-testament-new-pro-russia-militia-group-lines-up-in-ukraine |url-status=live }} and swore allegiance to Igor Girkin ("Strelkov"), insurgent and Minister of Defence of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic, as of January, 2017.

Along with other separatist groups in the region, the ROA has been accused of "kidnapp[ing], beat[ing], and threaten[ing] Protestants, Catholics, and members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church… as well as participat[ing] in anti-Semitic acts."{{cite report |author=United States Department of State |author-link=United States Department of State |date=2015 |title=International Religious Freedom Report for 2014 |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2014religiousfreedom/index.htm |publisher=humanrights.gov |access-date=20 January 2017 |archive-date=12 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612175101/https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2014religiousfreedom/index.htm |url-status=live }}

The organisation was also involved in the 2014 massacre of Protestants in Sloviansk, which was apparently also motivated by religious hatred of Protestants, whom the members themselves associate with ‘US agents’. {{Cite web |title=Police finds murderers of Pentecostals in Slovyansk - RISU |url=https://risu.ua/en/police-finds-murderers-of-pentecostals-in-slovyansk_n88983 |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=Religious Information Service of Ukraine |language=en}} Church officials believe that it was an act of religious persecution.

In late November 2014, the group gained attention after abducting prominent Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest, Sergeii Kulbaka, and Roman Catholic priest, Father Pawel Witek.{{cite web|url=http://themediaproject.org/article/survivors-describe-horror-falling-hands-russian-orthodox-army?page=full|title=Surviving the 'Russian Orthodox Army'|last=Liubchenkova|first=Natalia|date=20 November 2014|publisher=The Media Project|access-date=27 January 2017|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202045256/http://themediaproject.org/article/survivors-describe-horror-falling-hands-russian-orthodox-army?page=full|url-status=dead}} According to the Defence Ministry of Ukraine, the ROA was also in conflict with another pro-Russian militia, the Vostok Battalion, which accused the ROA of looting and avoiding combat.{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-07-26/putin-isolated-as-eu-prepares-tougher-sanctions-on-russia|title=Ukraine Army Advances as EU Plans Tougher Putin Sanctions|author=Daryna Krasnolutska|author2=Tony Capaccio|author3=Volodymyr Verbyany|work=Bloomberg News|date=27 July 2014|access-date=16 January 2015|archive-date=11 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511101026/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-07-26/putin-isolated-as-eu-prepares-tougher-sanctions-on-russia|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/07/26/7033039/|script-title=uk:Сили АТО знищили снайперів у Лисичанську|trans-title=ATO forces destroyed snipers in Lysychansk|language=uk|work=Ukrayinska Pravda|date=26 July 2014|access-date=16 January 2015|archive-date=24 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724123512/https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/07/26/7033039/|url-status=live}}

In September 2014, the ROA changed its format and joined the new Oplot Fifth Separate Infantry Brigade.

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{{Russo-Ukrainian War}}

{{War in Donbas}}

Category:Anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Russia

Category:Military of the Donetsk People's Republic

Category:Separatist forces of the war in Donbas

Category:Military units and formations established in 2014

Category:Organizations designated as terrorist by Ukraine

Category:Pro-Russian militant groups

Category:Paramilitary organizations based in Ukraine

Category:Anti-Catholic organizations