The SSU has gathered irrefutable evidence proving that the head of Cherkasy diocese of moscow patriarchate’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church incited sectarian hatred.

In his public statements to clergy and believers and in official comments, the metropolitan disseminated calls that violated the equality of citizens based on their race, nationality, region, and beliefs.

The investigation also established that under his leadership the administrator of the diocesan website had posted hostile materials from the ROC propaganda sites, including patriarchia.ru and pravmir.ru. In these publications, representatives of the aggressor state impose ideas of ruscism and popularize the kremlin’s regime. This contributed to the aggravation of the internal situation in the region and incited sectarian hostility.

During the searches at the metropolitan’s home and in the diocesan premises, the law enforcement found:

• computer equipment and cell phones,
• network data storage and an external drive,
• printed materials, which confirm the unlawful activity.

The head of the UOC-MP Cherkasy diocese has been served a notice of suspicion under the Article 161 of the CCU (violation of equality of citizens based on their race, nationality, religion, religious beliefs, disability and other grounds).

The investigation is ongoing.

The decision to qualify the actions of the persons involved under the Article 436-2 of the CCU (justification, recognition as lawful, denial of russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine, glorification of its participants) is pending.

The SSU Cherkasy Office is conducting the investigation under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office.