Four Pro-Russian Agitators Detained in Ukraine, Including Two Clergymen from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)

Ukraine’s Security Service Cracks Down on Pro-Russian Propagandists

According to Главком: The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has arrested four individuals accused of spreading pro-Russian narratives, justifying Moscow’s aggression, and inciting violence across different regions of the country. Among those detained are a senior deacon from the Kyiv metropolis of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), an unemployed man from Cherkasy Oblast, an archimandrite from Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and a woman from the Prykarpattia region.

In Kyiv Oblast, authorities apprehended a senior deacon affiliated with the UOC (MP). Meanwhile, in Cherkasy Oblast, an unemployed resident was served with a suspicion notice. The archimandrite, a former head of a church in the Severodonetsk diocese of the UOC (MP), was exposed in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. On the other side of the country, in Prykarpattia, a woman was detained for calling for the restoration of the Soviet Union. Specifically, the 47-year-old resident of the Kosiv district was arrested in the Hutsul village of Rozhniv for promoting the Soviet totalitarian regime.

According to the SBU, evidence was collected showing that one cleric urged the enemy to imprison Ukrainian soldiers in Russian jails, leave them without food or water for extended periods, and send them “to hard labor.” All suspects have been formally charged and face up to 10 years in prison, along with confiscation of their property.

SBU Intensifies Efforts to Counter Internal Threats

These arrests highlight the SBU’s stepped-up operations to identify and neutralize threats to Ukraine’s national security. Amid Russia’s ongoing war, such actions demonstrate law enforcement’s push to prevent subversive activities within the country. The severity of the potential punishment underscores the gravity of these offenses and their possible impact on society. This reinforces the critical need to combat disinformation and propaganda that could undermine Ukraine’s state sovereignty.

The recent arrests by the Security Service of Ukraine highlight the ongoing battle against pro-Russian influences within the country. In a related effort to combat misinformation and external threats, the SBU has also dismantled a significant Russian bot network, seizing thousands of SIM cards. This coordinated approach underscores the agency's commitment to safeguarding national security amidst the escalating conflict.