SBU detains UOC cleric for "awaiting complete occupation of Ukraine"

Detention of a UOC cleric in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Photo: SBU

On April 24, 2026, the press service of the SBU reported the detention in Dnipropetrovsk region of a UOC archimandrite, "who justified the crimes of rashists and awaited the complete occupation of Ukraine."

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The SBU reported that the detained person previously served in the Severodonetsk Eparchy of the UOC, but "in 2014 the cleric traveled to Russia to secure support from ROC leaders." Law enforcement did not specify exactly why the archimandrite needed to secure support from the ROC's higher hierarchy. According to their claims, the archimandrite moved to serve in the Dnipropetrovsk region, "where he incited parishioners to support the Kremlin regime."

Additionally, the SBU reported the detention of a UOC deacon in the Kyiv region, who in Telegram channel chats "agitated rashists for violence against captured AFU soldiers."

According to the SBU press service, the cleric "called on the enemy to imprison our military in Russian prisons."

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Dumenko awarded an order to the the SBU Academy Rector.

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