SBU announces suspicion against former ROC cleric Ivan Okhlobystin

Ivan Okhlobystin. Photo: Kruken

On March 4, 2025, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced an in-absentia suspicion against actor and former ROC priest Ivan Okhlobystin. According to law enforcement officials, in September 2022, he headlined a concert-rally on Red Square in Moscow, held in celebration of the fake annexation of temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories by Russia.

It is reported that during the event, Okhlobystin openly called for the continuation of Russia’s armed aggression, the killing of Ukrainians, and the seizure of additional Ukrainian regions.

The SBU also documented other speeches in which Okhlobystin advocated for the spread of the Russian regime across all of Ukraine.

A linguistic examination initiated by the SBU confirmed evidence of Okhlobystin’s subversive activities in favor of Russia.

Based on the collected evidence, SBU investigators officially notified Okhlobystin in absentia of suspicion under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

▪ Part 3, Article 110 (Encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine);

▪ Article 436 (War propaganda);

▪ Part 3, Article 436-2 (Justification, recognition as lawful, denial of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine, and glorification of its participants).

Since Okhlobystin remains in Russia, the SBU stated that “comprehensive measures are ongoing to bring him to justice for crimes against our state.”

The investigation was conducted under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor General's Office.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the SBU declared Patriarch Kirill wanted.

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