Ukraine hands over collaborator from Moscow-aligned church as part of conditions to get 101 people back
In order to help get back a hundred of Ukrainian defenders from Russian captivity, the Ukrainian side has handed over a collaborator from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate to Russia.
Source: Andrii Yusov, representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, on air during the 24/7 national joint newscast; Ukrainska Pravda’s source in law enforcement bodies
Quote from Yusov: "Yesterday, in order to get our guys back, one collaborator was handed over [to Russia - ed.] at the request of the other side and with his consent - a so-called priest of the Moscow Patriarchate who helped the occupiers, leaked various information to them and contributed to sham referendums.
The Russian Federation asked for it, and Ukraine did not oppose it, he [the priest] was all for it, and it helped to get our defenders back home. This work will continue."
Details: The Ukrainska Pravda source has said that the person in question is Mykola Zirka, Senior Priest of the Holy Kazan parish of the Horlivka diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in the village of Yarova in Donetsk Oblast.
It was reported previously that this collaborator priest had been sentenced to seven years of imprisonment with the seizure of his property.
Background:
- Ukraine and the Russian Federation conducted another prisoner swap on 16 February; 100 military servicemen and 1 civilian came back to Ukraine, whereas Russia got 101 soldiers back.
- There are national guardsmen, border guards and soldiers among the freed servicemen. Ninety-four of them are defenders of Mariupol, including 63 warriors from the Azovstal steel plant. Many of the heroes had sustained wounds of varying severity.
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