PECULIARITIES OF THE USE OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH BY THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AS A TOOL OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

The article systematically examines the role of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and its foreign activities through the prism of public diplomacy, using general scientific methods and a disciplinary approach. It argues that the ROC is not only a religious organization but also a powerful tool for the rf to achieve its foreign policy goals and promote the ideology of the "russian world." The main narratives and corresponding messages of the ROC’s religious propaganda, used in the foreign policy framework, are outlined, particularly for influencing both Ukraine and Western countries. The interaction of the ROC with the diplomatic and propaganda structures of the rf, which ensures its influence on shaping public opinion, is analysed. The specifics of the ROC’s use in implementing the ‘soft power’ project, which has a destructive character, especially in Western Europe and the Balkans, are identified. The conclusion is drawn, in the context of public diplomacy, regarding the activities of the ROC as an important tool in the rf’s hybrid warfare; as well as the use of religion in the modern stage as a mechanism of influence, which requires the careful attention of the international community; as such activities destabilize democratic institutions. Key words: hybrid war, information warfare, public diplomacy, Russian Orthodox Church, narrative, ‘russian world’.