The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has completed counterintelligence (security) measures at churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in Transcarpathian, Chernivtsi, Rivne, Volyn, Mykolayiv, Sumy, Lviv, Zhytomyr and Kherson regions.
There the SBU found Russian passports, St. George ribbons, symbols of the banned Opposition Platform-For Life party and Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill's "instructions" on spreading hostile propaganda through believers.
In addition, warehouses with pro-Kremlin literature were found, including those authored by ruscist ideologist Ivan Ilyin. In these publications, representatives of the Russian Federation deny the existence of the Ukrainian people, its language and culture, and question the Ukrainian statehood.
During the inspection of church premises in the village of Chornobayivka, Kherson Region, SBU officers found forms of passes to the Russian occupying authorities. In the diocese in Lviv Region, photos of hidden Russian documents "on ensuring cooperation with military commissariats of the Russian Federation" were found.
There was a flag of the so-called Republic of Subcarpathian Rus with the text of the anthem of Subcarpathian Rusyns in the UOC's churches in Transcarpathian Region.
The SBU also established that in his sermons a local priest called people, who celebrate Christmas on 25 December "Satanists". Criminal proceedings over this fact were initiated under Part 1 of Article 161 (violation of equality of citizens based on their racial, national, regional affiliation, religious beliefs, disability and other grounds) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
A novice with a Russian passport was exposed in one of the monasteries in Rivne Region. The SBU is currently checking his possible involvement in reconnaissance and subversive activities in the interests of the Russian special services. A cleric with a party card of the Communist Party of the former USSR was found in the Romny diocese. Currently, all seized materials have been sent for examination for further procedural actions.