SBU: Rector of church, who spied for Russia on military in Sumy region, detained

The rector of one of the churches of the Sumy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) has been detained, who, according to law enforcement, turned out to be an adjuster for the Russian military intelligence (GRU). This was reported by Security Service of Ukraine.

The investigation found that the cleric was tracking the locations of combat units and fortifications of the Defense Forces and passing them on to the Russians. Most of all, the enemy was interested in the coordinates of headquarters and fortifications in the border region – the enemy planned to strike and create a "dead zone" along the border.

This would allow Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups to penetrate deep into the region and gain a foothold before the main forces approach.

According to law enforcement, the Russians contacted the archpriest remotely on the Internet. The suspect would ask the parishioners for information in a veiled manner, and then go to the area and check for military facilities.

The man transmitted the data to the enemy via voice and text messages in a messenger. The cleric was detained at his place of residence, and during a search, pro-Kremlin literature and a smartphone with evidence of cooperation with the enemy were found on him.

The defendant was notified of suspicion of disseminating information about the movement or location of the Defense Forces. He is currently in custody and could face up to eight years behind bars.

• on August 28, it was officially recognized that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate is linked to Russia.
• On September 2, Ukraine filed a lawsuit to liquidate the UOC-MP because of its ties to Russia.