A priest from the Mykolaiv region supplied weapons and UAVs to the occupiers

The Security Service of Ukraine has served a notice of suspicion in absentia to the rector of the Tikhvin-Onufriyevsky Church of the Voronezh Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, whom investigators believe to be involved in financing Russian military units.

This was reported by the SBU Office in Mykolaiv Oblast.

According to the investigation, from 2007 to 2017, the man resided permanently in the Mykolaiv region and served as a full-time clergyman in the Mykolaiv and Voznesensk Dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In 2017, he left for Russia and settled in Voronezh.

After the start of the full-scale invasion, according to the SBU, the clergyman systematically collected and transferred material resources to units of the Russian Armed Forces participating in the war against Ukraine.

In particular, he supplied military equipment, vehicles, UAVs, and specialized gear worth hundreds of millions of Russian rubles to the Russian military.

In addition, according to the investigation, the suspect repeatedly visited the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in person, where he delivered so-called “humanitarian convoys” to the Russian military.

According to the SBU, the clergyman publicly publicized his activities in the Russian media for propaganda purposes. For this, he allegedly received incentives from the command of Russian military units.

Investigators also established that the man attempted to use family ties in Ukraine to indirectly influence representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and promote Russia’s interests within religious circles.

Based on the evidence gathered, SBU investigators notified him in absentia of his status as a suspect under Part 3 of Article 110-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—financing actions committed with the aim of altering the territory and state borders of Ukraine.

Since the suspect is in Russia and is evading justice, efforts are ongoing to bring him to justice.

Андрій Колісніченко