Political Analyst: Today’s SSU Is Truly a “Divine Service”

Political analyst and former MP Oleksandr Chernenko stated that over the past two years, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has carried out a large-scale operation to «expose and dismantle networks of Russian agents operating under the guise of clergy.» This was reported by TSN.

According to him, it was after Vasyl Maliuk was appointed head of the SSU that «the fight against Kremlin collaborators in cassocks became systematic and consistent.»

The analyst emphasized that the UOC had allegedly been used for many years as one of Russia’s main tools of influence on Ukrainian society. He noted that this influence was not limited to the religious sphere:

«With the start of the full-scale war, representatives of the UOC (MP) not only promoted the ‘Russian world’ but also collected intelligence for the enemy, acted as spotters and artillery coordinators. Since the beginning of the war, 170 criminal proceedings have been opened against 150 clergymen of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), including 23 bishops. 63 ‘agents in cassocks’ have been officially charged, and 31 already face court sentences. Some of these individuals have submitted requests to be included in prisoner exchanges and may help return our people from Russian captivity. The SSU’s work continues to this day. Now, it’s a targeted effort against the remaining agents still at large,» Chernenko added.

In his view, the SSU’s actions had a «significant therapeutic and preventive effect»:

«The real prison terms for traitors have significantly complicated, and in some cases entirely blocked, Russia’s ability to recruit new agents in religious circles — thus ruining the enemy’s plans. Simply put, before attending Easter services, it’s worth remembering why Maliuk’s subordinates, after dismantling the ‘Kremlin Church,’ started to be called the Divine Service. Judging by what has been done over the past few years, that title is well deserved,» the political analyst concluded.

As a reminder, the SSU has issued in-absentia suspicions to temporary members of the ROC’s Holy Synod. According to Ukraine’s Criminal Code, this relates to a case involving encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine.