SBU declared the suspicion to the ex-metropolitan of the UOC MP from Sumy region for praising the occupiers

Author:
Liza Brovko
Date:

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) declared the suspicion to the former metropolitan of the Romany Diocese of the UOC MP Oleksiy Maslennikov for justifying the invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine (Part 1, Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code).

The press service writes about it.

The Metropolitan left for Russia after the start of a full-scale war. According to the investigation, in September 2022, he took part in a religious service in a monastery in the Sverdlovsk region of the Russian Federation, where together with representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), he blessed the Russian occupiers.

SBU adds that during the liturgy, Maslennikov praised Putinʼs decision to mobilize Russia.

The suspect was declared wanted.

At the end of 2022, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) applied personal sanctions to Maslennikov — he was deprived of Ukrainian citizenship by presidential decree.