Clergyman of Moscow-linked church sentenced to 15 years in prison for treason

An abbot of the temple of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) who was collecting intelligence about the defence system of Sumy Oblast has received a prison sentence.

Source: press services of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) and the Sumy Oblast Prosecutor’s Office

Details: The abbot of one of the temples of the UOC-MP in the Shostka district was found guilty of committing treason under martial law.

The Shostka District Court has sentenced the clergyman to 15 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property on 25 October 2023. Specifically, a land plot, apartment and a vehicle owned by the defendant were confiscated in favour of the state.

The Prosecutor has proven that after the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, a member of the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB) got in touch with the abbot of one of the Shostka district temples. The clergyman agreed to cooperate since he had pro-Russia views and was waiting for the Russians to capture the Ukrainian territories.

Ordered by the Russians, the clergyman was collecting information on the number of forces in the territory of Sumy Oblast and their armament, as well as the information about the leadership of local authorities, law enforcement, public activists, their political views and their authority among the local population.

The agent was writing down the addresses and taking photos of the locations where Ukrainian military personnel and military equipment were concentrated in the Shostka district. He was also collecting data about patriotic-minded citizens who may influence the society. He was supplying the FSB operative with the intelligence via a messenger.

The SSU counterintelligence detained the clergyman in March 2023 during his attempt to send the intelligence to the FSB.

He was held in custody while waiting for the court decision.

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