Under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General, an agent network of the military intelligence of the Russian Federation has been uncovered. 

According to the investigation, the rector of one of the UOC (MP) churches was seeking pro-Russian residents of the region during his sermons, in which he justified the armed aggression of the Russian Federation and war crimes. Subsequently, he recruited potential candidates for the agent network of the aggressor country.

Among others, the rector also recruited a 41-year-old serviceman from a local military unit. Following the instructions of the Russian special services, the agent transmitted data about the location, number, and armament of the Ukrainian troops in the Zaporizhzhia direction.

Law enforcement detained the traitors under Article 615 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. They seized phones and computer equipment containing evidence of the crimes. A Russian passport, ammunition for a Kalashnikov rifle, and cold weapons were also found with the rector.

Ukrainian citizens have been notified of suspicion under five articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

- Part 2 of Article 111 (treason committed in a state of war);

- Parts 1, 2 of Article 110 (encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine);

- Parts 2, 3 of Article 109 (actions aimed at violent change or overthrow of the constitutional order or at seizing state power);

- Parts 1, 3 of Article 436-2 (justification, recognition as lawful, denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants);

- Part 1 of Article 161 (violation of the equality of citizens based on their racial, national, regional affiliation, and religious beliefs).

Currently, both suspects have been chosen a preventive measure – detention without the possibility of bail.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the Security Service of Ukraine with operational support from the military counterintelligence of the Security Service of Ukraine.

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.