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SBU finds Russian passports, stolen icons, 'Russian federal counselor permits', 'Novorussian flag' at Moscow Patriarchate churches in Ukraine
KYIV. Dec 8 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has completed counter-intelligence measures at the facilities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate in Kherson, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr and Volyn regions.
When Kherson was occupied by the Russian troops, a local archimandrite, who is the rector of the Dormition Cathedral, was present in the Kremlin during the ceremony of annexation of four Ukrainian regions, and a few days before the liberation of the city the priest, accompanied by the Russian invaders, escaped to the temporarily occupied territory in southern Ukraine, the SBU said on the Telegram channel on Thursday.
"The SBU found in the territory of the cathedral a collection of the icons stolen by the Rushists from the building of the Honorary Consulate of Lithuania during the occupation of Kherson. During a search at the church premises, permits for a ‘federal counselor of the military and civilian administration of the Russian Federation’ and Russian passports of local priests were found. They were issued this year during the occupation of Kherson by the Rushists," it said.
A criminal case was opened under Part 2 of Article 111 (high treason committed in wartime) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the SBU said.
In addition, a flag of the so-called "Novorussia" and a library with Russian propaganda literature were found at Chervonohirsk Holy Protection Women’s Monastery in Cherkasy region, the SBU said.
"Former criminals, who contacted subscribers from Russia, were uncovered in the territory of the Men’s Monastery of the Ovruch-Korosten Diocese and the skete in Zhytomyr region. The SBU is checking these contacts," it said.
A man, who had been on international wanted list as a missing person since 2020, was found at another monastery in Zhytomyr region.
Also, according to the SBU, the texts of prayers for the aggressor state and Russian "textbooks" glorifying the Kremlin regime, were found during a search at Saint Nicholas Myletsky Monastery.