The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), during searches of the premises of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church ( UOC, which declared independence from the Moscow Patriarchate in May ), discovered pro-Russian literature, two million hryvnias in cash (3,285,497 rubles), $100,000, several thousand rubles, and " dubious" citizens of Russia. Photos published in the Telegram channel of the security service.
Part of the seized literature was used in teaching at the seminary and parochial schools, including for propaganda of the "Russian world", the report says.
Counterintelligence activities were carried out on the territories of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv, the Koretsky Holy Trinity Monastery and in the premises of the Sarnensko-Polesye diocese of the UOC in the Rivne region. In total, the SBU, together with the employees of the National Police and the National Guard, checked more than 350 church buildings and 850 people.
More than 50 people underwent in-depth interviews, including using a polygraph. Among them were not only citizens of Ukraine, but also foreigners, including citizens of Russia. According to the SBU, some of them, when checking documents, provided passports and military cards of the USSR or did not have original documents at all, but only their copies. Also found were citizens with Ukrainian passports, which have signs of forgery or damage.
“A 32-year-old citizen of Ukraine was on the territory of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, who may be involved in the illegal activities of the pro-Russian news agency Antvan. At the same time, he is a trustee of the owner of the Russian company of the same name "ANTVAN GROUP" – Russian citizen Orlov A.V., who owned a number of land plots and catering establishments in Ukraine. Currently, this property has been seized as part of criminal proceedings.”
Employees of the SBU came with searches to the premises of the UOC, in particular, to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, on November 22. They checked the premises, including for the presence of weapons and sabotage and reconnaissance groups. On November 13, in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, during a prayer service, the Russian church song “Praise to the Most Holy Theotokos” sounded, in which there is a line: “The ringing floats, floats over Russia, Mother Russia is awakening.” This was told by the priest of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Mikhail Omelyan, who published the video.
After that, the SBU began to study the details, the head of the department, Vasily Malyuk, said that he would not allow manifestations of pro-Russian propaganda in Ukraine by the UOC in the context of a full-scale war between the country and Russia. Father Zachary, who led the prayer service, during which a song was played in Russian, was suspended, said the rector of the Lavra, Pavel (Peter Lebed).
On May 27, the Council of the UOC decided on the complete independence and independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and also expressed disagreement with the position of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia regarding the war in Ukraine. Before that, the head of the Local Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kiev and All Ukraine, called on the Ecumenical Patriarch (of Constantinople) and the heads of other local autocephalous Orthodox churches to be condemned for propaganda of war and to dethrone Patriarch Kirill. In April, 190 priests of the UOC-MP demanded that Patriarch Kirill be brought before a church tribunal.