According to documents filed by AFP, the European Commission proposed the adoption of sanctions against the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, as part of the sixth package of measures in response to the war in Ukraine.

In addition to Kirill, the new list, which has not yet been approved by member states, includes many Russian military personnel, as well as 58 people, including Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov’s wife, daughter and son.

According to documents available to AFP, Kirill is described as “a longtime ally of President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine and one of the main supporters of military aggression”.

Patriarch Kirill is the chief leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, which has 150 million followers worldwide, primarily in Russia.

In recent statements, the patriarch called for Russian unity amid the military conflict in Ukraine.