The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is conducting searches in Kharkiv churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Suspilne Kharkiv has reported, quoting eyewitnesses.
"The security forces were noticed, in particular, on the territory of the Svyato-Pokrovskyy Monastery in central Kharkiv," the report says.
Suspilne reports that the spokesman for the SBU directorate in Kharkiv Region, Vladyslav Abdula, confirmed the report.
Later in the day, the regional directorate said that the searches were held in such churches of the Kharkiv diocese as the Svyato-Pokrovskyy Monastery, the Holy Annunciation Cathedral, the Holy Kazan Church, the Church of the Recovery of the Dead Icon, the Holy Dormition Church, St. Peter and Paul Church, St. Nicholas Church, St. Valentine's Church, Olha Church, Queen Tamara Church, St. Archangel Michael's Church, St. George the Victorious Church, St. Volodymyr's Church, as well as the Holy Ascension Cathedral of the Izyum Diocese of the UOC (MP).
The Ukrainian special service emphasizes that the events are held with the direct participation of representatives of the church, together with the National Guard and the State Border Service of Ukraine within the framework of the SBU's systematic work to counter the subversive activities of Russian special services in Ukraine.
Law enforcers are inspecting the territory and premises to identify persons possibly involved in illegal activities to the detriment of Ukraine's sovereignty and items prohibited for circulation.
Given the Russian armed aggression, these measures are taken to prevent the use of religious communities as a centre of the "Russian world" and to protect the population from provocations and terrorist acts.
As reported, during the raids on the facilities of the UOC (MP) in Kyiv and Kherson regions, the Security Service of Ukraine found suspicious persons, unregistered weapons, Russian propaganda, the flag and the golden emblem of Russia.