SBU claims to have uncovered another 'scheme' of UOC – now in church shops

Illustrative photo from public sources

On June 4, 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine reported the results of a raid on UOC church shops. According to the official Telegram channel of the agency, SBU employees "blocked the channel of distribution of anti-Ukrainian literature."

It is noted that "batches of enemy copies were found in Uzhhorod, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, and Kyiv in the territory of one of the networks of UOC church shops," and the owners of church stores allegedly wholesale ordered this literature from a printing house in the Ternopil region.

Claiming to have seized pro-Russian publications that propagated religious intolerance and justified the Russian war against Ukraine, the SBU's statement fails to name specific examples of such publications.

According to the agency, a court-linguistic examination initiated by the Security Service confirmed that the found copies contained justifications for Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, calls for interfaith enmity, and religious intolerance.

"According to the investigation, the mass distribution of provocative publications could lead to destabilization of the socio-political situation in Ukraine in favor of Russia. Based on the evidence collected, the owner of one of the stores has been informed of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 300 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (import, manufacture, or distribution of works that promote cult of violence and cruelty, racial, national or religious intolerance and discrimination)," the statement says.

The SBU stated that the investigation is pending to establish all the circumstances of the crime and hold all those involved accountable.

As the UOJ wrote, the SBU is seeking accomplices of Metropolitan Arseny in "subversive activities".

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