Prosecutor's Office: Priest of Moscow Patriarchate organized a "scheme" to send conscripts abroad

Law enforcement officers have detained a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, who is suspected of having set up a scheme to smuggle conscripts to EU countries together with an accomplice. About this reports Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor's Office.

According to the investigation, in return for €13,000 per person, the priest promised two men liable for military service to organize their crossing of the Ukrainian-Romanian border.

The priest's accomplice was responsible for transporting and escorting the recruits from Ternopil to Chernivtsi region, where the transfer of funds and further instruction were to take place.

The organizers were detained while receiving €26,000 in Chernivtsi. They were served a notice of suspicion and a measure of restraint was imposed.

The clergyman is to be held in custody with the possibility of being released on bail in excess of UAH 1.2 million. His accomplice is to be held in custody with the possibility of release on bail in the amount of UAH 605,600.

• In August, the SBU detained two priests in Odesa Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, who are suspected of justifying Russian war crimes.
• In June, SBU chief Malyuk said that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the special service had begun 174 criminal proceedings against priests of the UOC-MP.
• on October 6, the SBU reported LIGA.netthat in two years Ukraine has recognized 22 priests are guilty Moscow Patriarchate.