The abbot of the UOC MP church in Zhytomyr region was informed of suspicion of inciting hatred

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the National Police reported suspicion to the rector of the Ovrutsk-Korosten Eparchy of the UOC MP, who was inciting religious hatred.

This was reported in the press service of SBU.

According to the investigation, the cleric massively distributed pro-Kremlin leaflets and brochures among priests and believers. In these agitations, the war in Ukraine was defined as an "internal civil conflict" and denied the armed aggression of Russia.

In addition, the leaflets insulted the religious feelings of Ukrainians, humiliated the views of believers of other faiths, and created hostile attitudes towards them. The cleric distributed these materials on the instructions of his metropolitan, to whom the SBU had already informed about the suspicion of crimes against Ukraine.

Employees of the Security Service discovered pro-Russian propaganda during security measures in the spring of 2022 and searches of the local diocese of the UOC MP in June of this year.

The abbot of the temple was informed of the suspicion under Part 2 of Art. 28 and Part 2 of Art. 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (intentional actions aimed at inciting national and religious enmity, humiliating national honor, dignity and offending the feelings of citizens in connection with their religious beliefs, committed by an official and by a group of persons following a prior conspiracy).

• The Ovrutsk-Korosten diocese of the UOC MP unites the parishes and monasteries of Yemilchynsky, Korostensky, Luhynsky, Malynsky, Narodytsky, Ovrutsky, Olevsky, Radomyshlsky, and Khoroshivsky districts of Zhytomyr region. The bishop is Metropolitan Vissarion of Ovruchsky and Korostensky.