UOC Metropolitan Yelisey receives suspicion in absentia for seizing Izyum
Kyiv • UNN
The SBU served a notice of suspicion in absentia to Metropolitan Oleg Ivanov (Yelisey), who supported the occupiers in Izium. After the Ukrainian Armed Forces counteroffensive, he fled to Russia, where he regularly visits the residence of Patriarch Kirill.
Metropolitan Oleh Ivanov (Yelisey) of the UOC (MP), who blessed the occupiers to seize Izyum, was served with a notice of suspicion in absentia. UNN reports this with reference to the SBU.
"The Security Service and the National Police have gathered evidence of subversive activities against the former Metropolitan of Izium and Kupyansk Diocese of the UOC (MP), Oleh Ivanov (Yelisey), who is hiding in Russia," the statement reads.
It is reported that after the seizure of part of the Kharkiv region at the beginning of the full-scale war, the cleric was one of the first to publicly support the occupiers and bless them for the war against Ukraine.
"According to the case file, the defendant imposed his personal pro-Kremlin views on parishioners in his sermons and convinced them to support the racists. In addition, he organized meetings of the diocesan clergy, where he urged other parishioners to promote Moscow's narratives during church liturgies," the SBU informs.
However, according to the SBU, after a counteroffensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kharkiv region in September 2022, Ivanov fled with the Russian occupiers to the aggressor country.
"There, the suspect regularly visits the residence of Moscow Patriarch Kirill and participates in his ceremonies. The forensic linguistic examination initiated by the Security Service confirmed the facts of Ivanov's information and subversive activities in the interests of the Kremlin," the SBU said.
Based on the evidence collected, law enforcement officers served him a notice of suspicion in absentia under Part 1 of Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (justification, recognition of the lawfulness, denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants).
As the offender is hiding in Russia, comprehensive measures are being taken to bring him to justice.
