On 14 December, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) came with counterintelligence measures to the facilities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) of Moscow Patriarchate (MP) in nine regions. In particular, to churches in Uzhhorod and Lviv, the SBU press service reported. Namely, those visited are:
- Holy Exaltation Cathedral (Uzhhorod)
- Holy Protection Church (Uzhhorod)
- Ioann the Theological Khreshchatyk Monastery (Chernivtsi Region)
- Holy Assumption Monastery (Chernivtsi Region)
- Holy Assumption Monastery (Rivne Region)
- Convent in honour of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God of the tract "Yusefin" (Sarny District)
- Sviatohirsk Uspensk Zimnensk Stavropegic Convent (Zymne village, Volodymyr District)
- Monastery of the Holy and Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helen (Kostyantynivka village, Mykolayiv Region)
- Holy Spirit Cathedral (Romny)
- Stephen's Archdeacon Church (Romny)
- Holy Trinity Church (Lviv)
- Church of St. Amphilochius of Pochaiyv (Mostyska)
- Church of the Protection of the Holy Virgin (Boryslav)
- Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ (Korosten)
- Holy Transfiguration Cathedral (Ovruch)
- Ovruch-Korosten Diocese (Ovruch)Basil's Cathedral (Ovruch)
- Basil's Convent (Ovruch)
- Church of the Icon of Kazan (Chornobayivka village).
"Given the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, these measures are taken, among other things, to prevent the use of religious communities as a centre of the "Russian world" and to protect the population from provocations and terrorist acts," - the law enforcement officers said.
At the premises, with the participation of the church's representatives, an inspection is carried out to identify persons who may be involved in illegal activities harmful to the Ukrainian state sovereignty and items prohibited for circulation.
Security measures at the UOC (MP) facilities in different regions have been ongoing for more than a month. During the work, law enforcement officers found propaganda justifying Russia's war against Ukraine, Russian passports of clergymen, and individuals from the wanted list.
The National Security and Defence Council initiated the ban of religious organizations affiliated with Russia after numerous cases of Kremlin propaganda materials found at the facilities of the UOC (MP) and the spread of anti-Ukrainian narratives among believers. It also compiled two sanctions lists against persons associated with this church.
Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council Oleksiy Danilov explained that the sanctions were imposed not against the church but against specific individuals who cooperate with the aggressor.