SBU reports suspicion of Patriarch Kirill

Patriarch Kirill. Photo: rbc

On 4 November 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported the suspicion of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill.

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev) has been charged with offences related to encroaching upon the territorial integrity of Ukraine, justifying war, and its preparation and conduct.

"According to the investigation," the SBU wrote, "the Moscow Patriarch is part of the inner circle of Russia's top military and political leadership and was one of the first to publicly support a full-scale war against Ukraine.”

The SBU stated that "to spread propaganda, he extensively uses religious communities affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church on the territory of Russia, as well as representatives of the UOC (MP) in Ukraine".

In addition, the agency claimed, Patriarch Kirill "regularly disseminates Kremlin narratives through online sermons or personal video comments".

"In particular, it has been documented that in March 2022, an 'article' about a liturgy where the cleric blessed the commander of Russia's National Guard, Zolotov, for the war against Ukraine was published on the website of the Russian Orthodox Church."

The SBU also said, "In late February 2023, the official YouTube channel of the Russian Orthodox Church published a video in which Gundyaev justifies the occupation of Eastern Ukraine."

In addition, the SBU said, "The patriarch has repeatedly given comments to propagandists from Russian central TV channels, in which he supported the Kremlin's aggressive policy and called on believers to unite in the war against Ukraine."

The expertise initiated by the SBU "confirmed the facts of criminal activity of the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church".

Based on all this, Patriarch Kirill has been reported on suspicion under articles that include: encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine; justification, recognition of legitimacy, denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants, as well as planning, preparation, unleashing and waging a war of aggression.

The SBU also said that complex measures are ongoing to hold the defendant accountable for crimes against our state.

Earlier, there were reports on social media that showed the SBU falsifying a case against the UOC bishop.

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