Security Service exposes two rectors of UOC-MP churches who praised Putin
24 February 18:47
The Security Service of Ukraine has exposed two rectors of UOC (MP) churches. Law enforcement officials claim that both praised Putin and spread anti-Semitic calls.
This was reported by the press service of the SBU, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
According to the case file, the leaders of the churches in Zhytomyr and Vinnytsia regions publicly praised Putin, called for the seizure of the entire territory of Ukraine and spread anti-Semitic statements, as well as “dispersed” Russian propaganda in communication with parishioners and through their social media accounts.
The SBU notes that the suspicion was served on a protopriest of a church in the Zhytomyr region who supports the Kremlin’s policy and humiliates the dignity of representatives of the Jewish people.
The second suspect is a hieromonk of a church in the Vinnytsia region who agitated for the seizure of Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine.
Both are suspected under three articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- art. 1, 2 of Article 110 (encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine);
- ч. 1 of Article 161 (violation of equality of citizens based on their race, nationality, region, religious beliefs);
- art. 2, 3, Art. 436-2 (justification, recognition of the legitimacy, denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants).
The suspects face up to ten years in prison.
