In 1947, 15 Orthodox bishops of 18 were the KGB agents

The most valuable agents of the KGB in the episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine in 1947 were “Petrov” in the east and “Hlibov” and “Ivanov”" - in the west, according to a note published by historian Roman Skakun.

Out of the 17 bishops and one metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1947, only three were not agents of the KGB. This is indicated in the statement on the operational work of the "O" Department (for operative work among the clergy) of the USSR Ministry of State Security, published on Facebook by historian Roman Skakun.

Our republic has: 17 eparchies, one metropolitan and 17 bishops - and at the same time “agents in the episcopate”: 15 (in general, the ROC in Ukraine included 574 agents and 1636 whistleblowers) ... It would be interesting to know who those three of 18, who did not cooperate with the KGB,” he wrote.

Among the most valuable agents the document lists “Petrov” in Voroshilovgrad (now Luhansk) region, “Hlibov” in Lviv and “Ivanov” in Drohobych (territory annexed by the Soviet Union in 1939 after the separation from Poland and Germany).

According to the note, in 1947, a total of 80 new agents were recruited.

In a commentto his post, Roman Skakun noted that agent “Hlibov” is Bishop Makariy Oksiyuk of Lviv, and "Ivanov" is the bishop of Drohobych, Mykhailo Melnyk.

“Petrov” is obviously, Nikon Petin, Bishop of Donetsk and Voroshilovhrad,” writes the historian.

Also read article by Mark Kutov "Bishops on Service of Lubyanka"