Russians have recruited the rector of a church from the Kharkiv diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has detained the rector of one of the churches in the Kharkiv diocese of the UOC (MP), who was an informant for the Russians. This was reported by the Security Service of Ukraine on Monday, November 25.

On November 25, the SBU announced the detention of a cleric who leaked information about the Defense Forces in Kharkiv. Specifically, he provided the Russians with estimated numbers of personnel and available weaponry at Ukrainian checkpoints near the city. Additionally, the priest transmitted information regarding the routes of military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine moving towards the front lines. He marked the gathered data with special annotations on Google Maps.

The Russians intended to utilize this intelligence for preparing missile and bombing strikes against the positions of the Defense Forces protecting Kharkiv.

“The Security Service acted preemptively and prevented enemy attacks by timely exposing the Russian informant, documenting his crimes, and detaining him,” the statement reads.

Investigators revealed that the 43-year-old archpriest began working for the Russians in October 2024. He was born in Melitopol and lived in Russia from 2009 to 2018. Later, the priest moved to Kharkiv, where he worked as an IT specialist for the diocesan administration of the UOC (MP) and was appointed the rector of a local church.

During searches, evidence of collaboration with the enemy was seized from him, along with Russian rubles and Kremlin awards.

Investigators from the Security Service have informed the cleric of suspicion for unauthorized dissemination of information regarding the movement and location of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The perpetrator is currently in custody and faces up to 8 years in prison.

Recall that on November 13, investigators from the Security Service of Ukraine reported suspicions against a cleric of the Ovruch-Korosten diocese of the UOC (MP) in Zhytomyr Oblast, who justified the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.