Defense Ministry: Russian Intelligence Wants to Use Cross Procession for Provocations

Russian intelligence agencies want to use the Cross Procession of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) to organize provocations, Vadym Skibitskyi of the Main Intelligence Department of Ukrainian Defense Ministry stated on July 22.

"We confirm the information of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) that Russian intelligence agencies are going to use the Cross Procession to destabilize the situation in Ukraine. These actions aim at radicalization of inter-ethnic hate and aggravated social and religious tensions," he said.

According to Skibitskyi, Russia plans to involve criminal gangs in provocations against the participants of Procession. "They are going to instigate clashes near places of worship and at mass gatherings to generate propaganda for pro-Russian mass media," he added.

The officer informed that ex-Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko, his associate Viktor Zubrytskyi and other Yanukovych-era officials were deeply involved in the organization of provocations.

He called on citizens and journalists to prevent information war of Russia ‘against our country and our people.’

The Cross Procession of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) started on July 3. The participants will meet in Kyiv on July 27-28 for a ceremonial service.

Source: Interfax-Ukraine