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SSU exposes UOC-MP clergymen in Odesa who praised russian imperialism and justified russia's war crimes

Security Service of Ukraine

13:00, 12 August 2025

The Security Service of Ukraine detained another two pro-kremlin agitators in Odesa. They spread enemy propaganda, justified russia's war in Ukraine and praised ruscists.

One of them is a 58-year-old priest of the Odesa diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of moscow patriarchate.

During conversations with parishioners, he glorified the occupiers and disparaged the religious beliefs of people of other faiths.

The priest maintained ties with former Member of Parliament from the party of regions Igor Markov, who is already suspected of high treason and is currently hiding in russia.

The cleric was also in contact with collaborator Valery Kaurov, who fled to russia in 2014, where he announced the creation of the kremlin project Odessa people's republic - Novorossiya.

At Kaurov's request, the church official, together with his 23-year-old daughter, took photos of himself with blank sheets of paper in front of well-known locations in Odesa and then sent the photos to russia.

russian propagandists then 'finished' the empty sheets with calls for the occupation of the city, supposedly made by local population.

The perpetrators were serving as the kremlin's mouthpieces and spread fabricated fakes on russian TV and Telegram channels, presenting their materials as 'publications by the pro-russian underground'.

The second person detained is a 44-year-old protopriest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (moscow patriarchate), who in his sermons justified russian strikes on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure.

Forensic linguistic examinations initiated by the SSU confirmed the facts of the suspects' subversive activities against Ukraine.

SSU investigators notified the clergymen of suspicion under the Articles of the CCU:

• 436-2.2, 436-2.3 (justification, recognition as lawful, denial of russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, glorification of its participants);
• 161.1 (violation of equality of citizens depending on their religious beliefs).

The suspects face up to 8 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The activities were carried out by the SSU Office in Odesa region under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor's Office.