Metropolitan Pavel, the former abbot of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, has been served with another notice of suspicion, the Prosecutor-General's Office has said
He is charged with denying Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine and violating the equality of citizens based on their race, nationality, region and religious beliefs (Part 3 of Article 436-2, Part 2 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code).
"According to the investigation, as an official of a religious organisation - the abbot of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the suspect presented the Russian aggression as an internal civil conflict. In telephone conversations with believers, he incited national, regional and religious hatred with his statements. This is confirmed by the conclusions of the relevant examinations," the prosecution said.
It is noted that the clergyman made statements that justified and denied the actions of the aggressor state. In his speeches, he repeatedly insulted the religious feelings of Ukrainians, humiliated the views of believers of other faiths and tried to fan hostile attitudes towards them.
The criminal proceedings also established the facts of the Metropolitan's communication with a witness in the criminal proceedings, despite the relevant prohibition in the court decision.
A petition has been filed with Kyiv's Solomyanskyy district court to change the measure of restraint for the clergyman from round-the-clock house arrest to detention.
On 30 June, the court extended Metropolitan Pavel's house arrest for another two months, until 31 August.