A priest of the UOC MP received the suspicion from the SBU for helping conscripts go abroad

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) suspects a cleric of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) of helping men go abroad.

The press service of the department writes about it.

The assistant abbot of the Holy Ascension Menʼs Monastery of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP) suggested that conscripted men leave Ukraine outside the checkpoints.

According to the investigation, in September he promised the three men to leave for Romania "without obstacles" and give them documents for free movement in the EU.

They gathered on the territory of the monastery, from where they were to be taken across the border. However, the men were not given documents, but instead were shown a forest plantation through which they can cross to Romania.

The cleric was charged with illegal smuggling of people across the state border (Part 2 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code).

• At the beginning of December of last year, the Security Service of Ukraine handed over suspicion to the priest of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, at whose prayer service the parishioners sang the song "The bell floats, floats over Russia, Mother Russia is waking up." He is accused of justifying Russiaʼs armed aggression against Ukraine and glorifying the aggressor.