SBU detains UOC-MP priest preparing a strike at the echelons of the Armed Forces in the Kharkiv region

This was reported by the SBU press service.

The main suspect was a Russian citizen, the rector of one of the Kharkiv churches of the UOC-MP, who was recruited by the special service of the aggressor country before the full-scale war.

After the Russian invasion, he was contacted by a staff member of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (known as the GRU). His identity has already been established by the Security Service.

During the remote contact, the enemy intelligence officer set a task for the clergyman: to collect information about the schedules and routes of the movement of the Armed Forces echelons in the Kharkiv region. To obtain intelligence, the priest engaged his friend, an employee of the local branch of Ukrzaliznytsia.

It was established that the official gave the clergyman access to the documents containing information about the departure and arrival time, as well as the locations of unloading of the Defense Forces trains.

The clergyman was supposed to send the footage to his curator via an anonymous chat in a messenger, using encryption symbols. For instance, they started the correspondence only after the agreed "emoticons" were used at a predetermined time.

After each communication session, the defendants would delete the correspondence.

In case of receiving a "detailed report", the occupiers planned to carry out an attack at the specified coordinates.

The SBU exposed the enemy's accomplices beforehand and thus thwarted the aggressor's plans. After an operational combination, both suspects were detained in their homes.

During the search, SBU officers seized mobile phones and SIM cards of different operators with evidence of conducting reconnaissance and subversive activities.

SBU investigators have served the clergyman and his accomplice a notice of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 114-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (unauthorized dissemination of information about the Armed Forces of Ukraine, committed with the aim of providing such information to a state that carries out armed aggression against Ukraine).

The sanction of the article provides for a sentence of up to 12 years in prison.

The offenders are in custody. The issue of additional qualifications for their criminal actions is being decided.

The special operation was conducted under the supervision of the Kharkiv Region Prosecutor's Office with the assistance of the management of the Southern Railway regional branch of Ukrzaliznytsia.