Ukraine’s Security Service investigates priest of Moscow-linked church in Borodianka for helping Russian forces

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) is investigating the facts of the collaboration by Viktor Talko, the rector of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) church in the village of Borodianka.

Source: Security Service of Ukraine 

Details: The SSU is checking information on Talko’s possible assistance to the Russians in the forced transportation of almost 100 residents of Kyiv Oblast to Belarus during the temporary occupation of the region.

In addition, officers of the Security Service of Ukraine are investigating the circumstances of the functioning of the Russian torture chamber on the premises of the church run by Talko.

According to the preliminary version of the investigation, the cleric suggested that the invaders use the basement of a religious institution to imprison members of the resistance movement.

It is documented that only from 29 March to 31 March 2022, the Russians kept three Ukrainian volunteers there, who brought humanitarian aid for local residents.

The Security Service also launched a linguistic examination to verify the archpriest's public appeals to support the Russian invaders in the war against Ukraine.

As part of the criminal proceedings launched by the investigators under Art. 111-1.4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (collaboration), an investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the crime.

The issue of serving a notice of suspicion and choosing a measure of restraint will be decided based on the results of the pre-trial investigation. The priest faces up to five years in prison.

Background: In July 2022, Archbishop Yevstratiy (Zoria), a spokesman for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, wrote that at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, cleric Viktor Talko of the UOC-MP aided the Russian invaders and their propagandists in Borodianka. Despite this, he had no legal issues connected to collaboration and even held a joint service with Metropolitan Onufriy in the village.

In January 2023, journalists of Bihus.info reported that Viktor Talko, who actively collaborated with the invaders during the occupation, continued to work in Borodianka.

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