The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) declared the suspicions to the Metropolitan and Secretary of the Ovrutsk-Korosten Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) of Zhytomyr region.
The investigation claims that for years the metropolitan prepared the texts of pro-Kremlin leaflets and brochures, where he insulted the religious feelings of Ukrainians, humiliated the beliefs of believers of other faiths and tried to create hostility towards them. And his brother, the secretary, distributed materials among priests and believers.
As the investigators found, the circulation of propaganda materials amounted to almost 50 000 copies.
The Metropolitan and the secretary were charged with violating the equality of citizens based on religious beliefs (Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code). This is punishable by up to five years in prison.
In addition, the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police during searches on the territory of the neighboring Zhytomyr Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Russian Orthodox Church of Ukraine exposed "close associates" of the local bishop on items with parishionersʼ donations. The latterʼs money was spent on personal needs, and not on eliminating the consequences of the fire in the diocesan administration, for which they were collected. It is about a million hryvnias.
An investigation into the fraud is currently ongoing (Part 3 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code).