The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) conducts security measures at the facilities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) in Cherkasy, Volyn and Kherson regions.
It is, in particular, about:
- Exaltation of the Cross Czartoryi Menʼs Monastery of the Volyn Diocese of the UOC MP;
- Mykolaiv Miletsky Menʼs Monastery of the Volodymyr-Volyn Diocese of the UOC MP;
- Assumption Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kherson);
- Office of the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC;
- St. Michaelʼs Cathedral (Cherkasy);
- Sunday school and library of the Cherkasy diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Cherkasy);
- Office of the Uman-Zvenyhorod Eparchy (Uman);
- St. Georgeʼs Convent (Uman district);
- Church of St. Andrew the First-Called (Cherkasy);
- Holy Trinity Motronyn Monastery (Cherkasy district);
- Krasnohirsky Holy Intercession Womenʼs Monastery (Zolotonosha district);
- The religious community of the Parish of Saint Sophronius, Bishop of Irkutsk (Cherkasy);
- Kaniv Dormition Cathedral (Kaniv, Cherkasy district).
"With the direct participation of representatives of the church, law enforcement officers conduct an inspection of the territory and premises (in particular, of the hotel type) to identify persons who may be involved in illegal activities to the detriment of the state sovereignty of Ukraine, and items prohibited for circulation," the SSU stated.
- At the end of November, the SSU conducted a number of searches in churches, monasteries and laurels of the UOC MP, in particular in Kyiv-Pechersk. The series of searches began after a scandal over a prayer service in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, during which parishioners sang the song "The bell is ringing, itʼs ringing over Russia. Mother Russia is waking up." The priest was informed of suspicion for this.
- Subsequently, the SSU conducted searches in monasteries in Transcarpathia, in the Mukachevo diocese, in the Ivano-Frankivsk diocese, in the Pochaiv seminary, and in the Ternopil diocese. During the searches, numerous evidences of pro-Russian propaganda and probable cooperation of representatives of the UOC-MP with Russia were found.
- On December 1, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine instructed the government to submit to the Verkhovna Rada a draft law banning the activities of religious organizations affiliated with Russia in Ukraine. First of all, this will affect the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.