SBU presents suspicion to a monk of Kyiv Vvedensky Monastery

Archimandrite Volodymyr Rakk. Photo: SBU

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has presented a suspicion to a monk of the Vvedensky Monastery of the UOC in Kyiv, according to the SBU’s Facebook page. It has become known that the law enforcement information refers to Archimandrite Volodymyr Rakk, who previously moved to Kyiv from the occupied Tokmak.

According to the investigation, the monk was spreading pro-Russian narratives on social media, justifying Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, and disseminating false information about the socio-political situation in Ukraine.

It is reported that during searches at the monastery, the SBU found evidence of the cleric's criminal activities. In particular, photos taken during the search show Russian banknotes, allegedly seized from the monk. Based on the collected materials, he has been charged under Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which provides for up to 5 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property for justifying and denying Russian aggression.

The investigation is ongoing under the supervision of the Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office. The sanctions under the article in question include imprisonment for up to 5 years and confiscation of property.

As reported by the UOJ, on September 19, the SBU conducted searches at the Vvedensky Monastery in Kyiv; later a UOC lawyer revealed the results of these searches.

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