SBU detains UOC (MP) cleric who passed data on Ukrainian Armed Forces to Russia in Kharkiv

Law enforcement officers detained the rector of one of the churches of the Kharkiv diocese of the UOC (MP), who was an informant for Russia and spied on the defenders of Kharkiv. This was reported by the SBU, UNN reports.

According to the SBU, the cleric was leaking information about the Defense Forces in the region at the request of Russia. In particular, he tried to establish the approximate number of personnel and weapons available at Ukrainian checkpoints near Kharkiv.

The archpriest also monitored the routes of movement of military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine towards the front line.

The cleric sent the information to the aggressor via messenger in the form of marks on Google maps and their detailed descriptions.

According to available information, the occupiers planned to use this intelligence to prepare rocket and bomb attacks on the locations of the Defense Forces involved in the defense of Kharkiv

According to the investigation, the 43-year-old archpriest began performing hostile tasks in October 2024. He was born in Melitopol and stayed in the territory of Russia during 2009-2018.

Later he came to Kharkiv, where he worked as an IT specialist for the diocesan administration of the UOC (MP) and was appointed rector of the local church.

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During the searches, a cell phone with evidence of cooperation with the occupiers was seized from him. Russian rubles and Kremlin awards were also found on his person.

The cleric was served a notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 114-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (unauthorized dissemination of information about the movement, movement or location of the Armed Forces if it is possible to identify them on the ground).

He is currently in custody. He faces 8 years in prison.