The SSU is carrying out counterintelligence (security) measures at the entities of moscow patriarchate’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Cherkasy, Volyn and Kherson regions.

The measures are held at the following locations:

• Holy Cross Chortoryisk Monastery, UOC-MP Volyn Diocese;
• Myltsi St. Nicholas’s Monastery, UOC-MP Volodymyr-Volyn Diocese;
• Assumption Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kherson);
• Administration of UOC-MP Cherkasy Diocese;
• St. Michael’s Cathedral (Cherkasy);
• Sunday School and Library of UOC-MP Cherkasy Diocese (Cherkasy);
• Administration of Uman-Zvenyhorod Diocese (Uman);
• St. George Convent (Uman district);
• Church of St. Andrew the First-Called (Cherkasy);
• Holy Trinity Motronynskyi Convent (Cherkasy district);
• Krasnohirsk Holy Protection Convent (Zolotonosha district);
• religious community ‘Parish of St. Sophronius Bishop of Irkutsk’ (Cherkasy);
• Kaniv Assumption Cathedral (Kaniv, Cherkasy district).

The measures are conducted jointly with the National Police and the National Guard as part of the SSU’s systemic efforts to counter subversive activities of russian special services in Ukraine.

Given russia’s armed aggression, these actions are taken, among other things, to prevent the use of religious communities as centers of the ‘russian world’ and to protect population from provocations and terrorist attacks.

With the direct participation of church representatives, law enforcement officers are inspecting the territory and premises (including hotel-type) to identify persons who may be involved in unlawful activities to the detriment of Ukraine’s state sovereignty and items prohibited for circulation.

All actions are carried out in accordance with the law.

We emphasize once again: the SSU acts exclusively within the Constitution of Ukraine and current legislation and respects the right of every citizen to freedom of religion and worldview.