SBU exposes UOC-MP clerics who praised Russia and spread anti-Semitic calls

This was reported by the SBU press service.

According to the investigation, both defendants “broadcasted” hostile propaganda while communicating with parishioners, as well as through their accounts on social networks and messengers.

Thus, Archpriest Viacheslav Markevych from Zhytomyr region, who spoke in support of the Kremlin's policy, was suspected.

It is also documented that in his posts, the cleric degraded the honor and dignity of representatives of the Jewish people.

Another defendant was Stanislav Makeev, a hieromonk of a church in the Vinnytsia region, who called for the seizure of Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine.

He repeatedly wrote about this in his comments under pro-Kremlin posts in popular messengers.

The SBU-initiated examination confirmed the facts of the criminal actions of the defendants aimed at undermining the socio-political situation in Ukraine in favor of Russia. During the searches, the SBU seized mobile phones and computer equipment containing evidence of illegal activities.

SBU investigators have now served both clerics suspicion notices under three articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

- Parts 1 and 2 of Art. 110 (encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine)
- Part 1 of Art. 161 (violation of equality of citizens based on their race, nationality, region, or religious beliefs);
- Parts 2 and 3 Art. 436-2 (justification, recognition of the legitimacy, denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants).

The investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the crime. The offenders face up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The operation was conducted by the SBU officers in Vinnytsia and Zhytomyr regions under the procedural supervision of the regional prosecutor's offices.