SBU reports number of criminal cases opened against UOC clergy

V. Zelensky and V. Maliuk. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

Since 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has initiated 208 criminal proceedings against representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), the agency reported. “Among the defendants are 27 senior church officials – metropolitans and archbishops accused of collaborating with Russia,” the SBU press release stated.

The agency claimed that “the exposed clerics carried out tasks assigned by Russian intelligence services aimed at destabilizing the socio-political situation in Ukraine.”

“To achieve this, the hierarchs used religious communities to recruit believers into Russia’s intelligence network, justify Russian war crimes, and call for the seizure of our state,” the SBU asserted.

According to the SBU, 78 representatives of the UOC have already been formally charged, and 40 clergy members have been sentenced to imprisonment. Among them are four hierarchs – ruling bishops from various regions of Ukraine.

The agency also reported that, at its initiative, Ukrainian citizenship and residence permits were revoked for 19 UOC clerics who, according to the SBU, hold Russian passports.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that during the annexation of Crimea, 98% of SBU officers became traitors.

Read also