Based on SBU materials, FSB agents who conducted information sabotage against Ukraine under the guise of the UOC-MP will be brought to trial
According to the case file, the cleric coordinated three accomplices - so-called “political experts” who, while in Kyiv, massively disseminated Kremlin narratives. In their materials, they justified Russia's war against Ukraine and incited interfaith hatred in our country.
In March 2024, the SBU detained all four suspects.
Currently, the indictments against the detainees have been sent to court. The offenders face life imprisonment with confiscation of property.
According to the investigation, the defendants were part of one of the largest FSB agent networks operating in Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war.
Thanks to the SBU's prompt response, the enemy cell was neutralized at the beginning of its subversive activities against Ukraine.
A special pre-trial investigation is ongoing in relation to more than 10 other members of the Russian intelligence service hiding abroad.
It has been established that the accused cleric personally supervised the dissemination of anti-Ukrainian content through controlled channels on Telegram and YouTube, Facebook pages and official websites of various dioceses of the UOC-MP.
Immediately after the publication of the paid-for materials, they were immediately “picked up” by central TV channels and online publications of the Russian Federation, which spread fakes about our country.
In this way, the racists hoped to discredit Ukraine in the international arena, especially in front of our Western partners.
Based on the evidence collected, the detained persons are charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
▪ Part 2 of Art. 111 (high treason committed under martial law);
▪ Part 6 of Art. 111-1 (collaboration);
▪ Part 4 of Art. 28, Part 1 of Art. 255, Part 2 of Art. 255 (creation and participation in a criminal organization);
▪ Part 4 of Art. 28, Part 3 of Art. 161, (incitement to religious hatred and enmity committed by an organized group);
▪ Part 4 of Article 28, Parts 2 and 3 of Art. 436-2 (justification, recognition of the legitimacy, denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine).
The operation was conducted by SBU officers in Kyiv and Kyiv region under the supervision of the Kyiv Region Prosecutor's Office.
The SBU notes that according to Art. 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proved in accordance with the law and established by a court verdict.
