DECR UOC Deputy Head explains why in his possession were Russian documents

Archpriest Mykolai Danylevych. Photo: DECR UOC website

Archpriest Mykolai Danylevych, the Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, stated that the accusations of unlawful activity against him are unfounded and absurd, and that the criminal prosecution is politically motivated, according to the DECR UOC website.

The spokesperson for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church wrote that a court hearing regarding his preventive measure will take place soon, and noted that the handing of suspicion is a step to isolate him from fulfilling his duties in international activities and interfering with the activities of the religious organization (UOC).

Danylevych stated that he considers the publication of photos from the search to be a procedural violation but decided to explain when he obtained documents issued by the Russian Federation.

"With regard to the photo of a reader's ticket to the Russian Historical Library in my name. Yes, I was a student and studied between 1998 and 2003 at a theological academy in Moscow and had a reader's ticket to the library as a student. This is a fact of my biography, and there is nothing illegal about it.

Regarding the photo of an insurance (pension) certificate from Russia with a hint that allegedly I have Russian citizenship. I've never had Russian citizenship, as I have stated before. I studied and lived in Russia long before the war and, as a foreigner, had corresponding registration and insurance in that country. Today, millions of Ukrainians who fled abroad, particularly to European countries, also obtain similar documents in the countries of their residence while remaining citizens of Ukraine.

Regarding the photo of a document from the diplomatic academy of Russia about completing a short course in the English language. These were ordinary beginner-level English language courses, which I attended and which were physically taught at the mentioned educational institution, and nothing more," wrote the Deputy Head of the Department for External Church Relations.

He also added that the parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church abroad, which the Security Service of Ukraine blamed him for, were established in accordance with the decision of the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church dated May 27, 2022, and this is not about spreading whatever pro-Russian narratives.

As reported by the UOJ, on April 12, the Security Service of Ukraine handed Archpriest Mykolai Danylevych suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. These are Part 2 of Article 161 (violation of the equality of citizens depending on their racial, national, regional affiliation, religious beliefs, and other grounds) and Part 2 of Article 436-2 (justification, recognition as lawful, denial of armed aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants).

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