Protopriest from Moscow-affiliated church detained by Ukraine's Security Service over espionage for Russia
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has announced that its counterintelligence unit has detained a 58-year-old protopriest from the Pokrovskyi Vicariate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) in Donetsk Oblast on suspicion of spying for Russia.
Source: SSU; an Ukrainska Pravda source in law enforcement agencies
Details: The source noted that the priest in question is Valentyn Hnezdilov.
Case materials reveal that Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) recruited Hnezdilov through his daughter, who lives in Russia. She reportedly wrote a letter to Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin, requesting Russian citizenship for her mother and sister, both Ukrainian nationals.
The SSU stated that a Russian intelligence officer had made remote contact with Hnezdilov following this correspondence.
In exchange for his cooperation, he was promised the "evacuation" of his family to Russia, the granting of Russian citizenship and initial support upon their arrival.
After agreeing to the proposal, Hnezdilov began gathering intelligence on the locations of reserve command posts, defensive structures and logistics hubs of Ukrainian forces in the Volnovakha district of Donetsk Oblast.
Quote: "SSU officers thwarted the enemy's intentions and detained the traitor, preventing him from sending a 'report' containing intelligence to the FSB.
A search of the suspect's belongings led to the discovery of a mobile phone containing evidence of his cooperation with the enemy.
Based on the collected evidence, SSU investigators served the offender with a notice of suspicion under Article 111.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason committed by a group of persons under martial law).
The offender is in custody. He faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property."
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
