The Lithuanian authorities have banned Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia from entering the country, meduza.io reports.

According to the Lithuanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church was included in the list of undesirable persons on June 23. The entry ban will be in effect for five years.

The Lithuanian authorities call the Patriarch a close ally of Vladimir Putin and one of the Russian citizens who support the war in Ukraine most actively.

“Patriarch Kirill deliberately denies the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, justifies and supports the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation, which grossly violate the norms and principles of international law,” the Ministry’s commentary says.

Earlier, Lithuania demanded that Patriarch Kirill be included in the EU sanctions list, but this decision was opposed by Hungary. In mid-June, sanctions against the Head of the Russian Orthodox Church were imposed by Great Britain, and then by Canada.

According to Delfi, the leadership of the Orthodox Church of Lithuania sent a request to the ROC to grant it the status of church self-government. In July, Bishop Amvrosiy of Trakai visited Moscow and received a positive response to the request from Patriarch Kirill.