KYIV, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Ukrainian lawmakers on Tuesday passed a law envisaging a ban on the activities of a Russia-linked branch of the Orthodox church, paving the way for a historic rupture with an institution that Kyiv has accused of complicity in Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. A majority of Ukrainians are Orthodox Christians but the faith is split into one branch traditionally tied to the Russian Orthodox Church - Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), and an independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine, recognised by the world Orthodox hierarchy since 2019.

Ukrainian leaders have accused the Moscow-linked UOC of abetting Russia’s 30-month-old war on Ukraine by spreading pro-Russian propaganda and housing spies.

The bill passed by 265 lawmakers bans the Russian Orthodox Church on Ukrainian territory and says that a government commission will assemble a list of “affiliated” organisations whose activities are not allowed.

The list is expected to target the UOC specifically.