The Chernihiv Prosecutor's Office has charged a clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church with "aiding an aggressor state"

The Chernihiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office has officially announced that a clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church from the Bryansk region is under investigation as part of criminal proceedings for aiding an aggressor state. Investigators accuse the clergyman of systematically supporting the Russian armed forces.

According to the case file, the clergyman, who serves as the head of the department for cooperation with the Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations in the Bryansk region, provided active material assistance to Russian military personnel between 2024 and 2026. The suspect supplied Russian army units with food, equipment, computer hardware, and household items.

During the pre-trial investigation, which is being conducted by investigators from the SBU Office in the Chernihiv region, the priest’s posts on the social network “VKontakte” were also examined. These materials document the conduct of religious ceremonies for Russian military personnel, as well as public support for the “special military operation” they are carrying out.

The suspect’s actions are classified under Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (aiding an aggressor state). The penalty under this article provides for imprisonment for up to 15 years, followed by confiscation of property.

As a reminder, we previously reported that the Cherkasy Regional Prosecutor’s Office announced that Aristarkh (Smirnov), head of the Kuzbass Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church, had been charged in absentia. The hierarch is accused of organizing fundraising and providing logistical support to Russian military units participating in hostilities on Ukrainian territory.