New searches of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate: Security Service finds propaganda denying Ukraine's existence

Monday, 28 November 2022, 13:05

Officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) and National Police have found a large amount of anti-Ukrainian materials while conducting a counterintelligence security operation at Pochayiv theological seminary and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) in Ivano-Frankivsk. 

Source: the SSU

Details: In particular, the SSU has found literature that denies the existence of the Ukrainian nation, its language and Ukraine’s sovereignty, and emphasises that it is an artificially created state.

The Security Service has also discovered brochures and books of a xenophobic and hateful nature, which contain pejorative falsehoods about other nationalities and religions. 

Most of the said literature is written in Russia and printed in Russian publishing houses. 

The SSU is examining the origin of the "Almighty Don Host" symbols, samples of which have been found in one of the storerooms of the Ivano-Frankivsk Eparchy. These refer to the insignia of this illegal armed formation, which aided the Russians in occupying Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in 2014. 

Quote: "All this material evidence constitutes grounds to open criminal proceedings under article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of citizen’s equality based on their racial, national, regional independence, religious beliefs, disability and other attributes). Currently, these materials have all been sent for independent examinations. 

Further procedural steps will be taken according to the results of these examinations".

Details: Searches were conducted in Pochayiv Lavra and at the Ivano-Frankivsk Eparchy on 25 November and 27 November respectively. 

Background:

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