In Russia, a criminal case opened against a Greek Catholic Priest over an icon with Bandera and Shukhevych

As reported by Ukrinform, citing Mediazona and the regional office of the Russian Investigative Committee.

According to the investigation, the priest found a "stylized image resembling an icon with the background of the Holy Virgin... featuring Bandera supporters" and placed it in the church dining room.

The FSB department in the Omsk region informed journalists that the icon depicted Stepan Bandera, Roman Shukhevych, and Cardinal Josyf Slipyj.

The Russian security service alleges that the suspect, during religious services, "spread among parishioners ideas of the superiority of one religion over another, the superiority of the Ukrainian people over the Russian people."

According to the Telegram channel Shot, the figure involved in the case is the rector of the Greek Catholic parish in Omsk, Igor Maksimov. During the search, Ukrainian-language prayer books and books on the history of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army were found in his possession. Shot claims that the law enforcement agencies confiscated the "icon with Bandera followers" from the priest a year ago following complaints from parishioners.

In the FSB video, Ukrainian-language books with titles such as "History of the UPA," "Bandera Supporters," and "Black Book of Ukraine" are visible. The Russian Investigative Committee's video shows a book titled "World Masonic Society: Essence and Goals." Other books found during the searches are hidden in the investigators' records.

Mediazona journalists confirm that the videos from the Investigative Committee and the FSB were filmed on the premises of the Omsk parish of the Protection of the Holy Virgin, as the interior in the footage matches the church's photo on the Catholic parishes' website in Omsk.

Later, it was revealed that Igor Maksimov is actually a layperson, and the mentioned parish is in the process of being officially closed.