Russian Orthodox manuals, St George's ribbons and Communist Party membership cards: Ukraine’s Security Service reports back on its searches of Moscow-linked churches

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has completed counterintelligence measures at sites of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) in Zakarpattia, Chernivtsi, Rivne, Volyn, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Lviv, Zhytomyr and Kherson oblasts.

Source: Press service of the Security Service of Ukraine 

Details: Law enforcement officers say that the items found on premises of the dioceses include Russian passports, St George's ribbons, symbols of the banned party Opposition Platform - For Life, and manuals from Patriarch Kirill, Head of the Russian Orthodox Church, on how hostile propaganda can be spread through parishioners.

The SSU said it had also discovered warehouses containing pro-Kremlin literature, including works by Ivan Ilyin, the ideologist behind Ruscism [Russian fascism - ed.].

In these publications, representatives of the Russian Federation deny the existence of the Ukrainian people, language and culture, and also question Ukrainian statehood.

During an inspection of church premises in the village of Chornobayivka in Kherson Oblast, SSU officers discovered entry passes for the Russian occupation authorities.

A photograph of hidden Russian documents "on ensuring cooperation with the military commissariats of the Russian Federation" was found in the diocese in Lviv Oblast.

A flag of the so-called Republic of Carpathian Ruthenia and the words to the anthem of the "Carpathian Rusyns" were found on the territory of churches in Zakarpattia Oblast.

It was also established that a local priest, in his sermons, called people who celebrate Christmas on 25 December "godless Satanists". [The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on 25 December by the Julian calendar, which is 7 January.]

Criminal proceedings have been initiated with respect to this violation of the equality of citizens based on their race, ethnic or regional origin, religious beliefs, disability and other grounds.

A novice who holds a Russian passport and has contacts in the Russian Federation was discovered on the territory of a monastery in Rivne Oblast. The SSU is currently investigating his possible involvement in intelligence and subversive activities for the Russian secret services.

A cleric with a Communist Party membership card from the former USSR was discovered in the Romny diocese.

The SSU said all the confiscated materials have now been sent for expert examination so that further procedural actions may be taken.

Background: The Security Service reported inspections of religious institutions of the UOC-MP in nine oblasts to prevent the use of religious communities as hubs for the Russian world. [The term Russkiy Mir – "Russian world" or "Russian order" – is the concept of the total domination of Russian culture over other cultures – ed.]

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