Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine says that “Russian priests” abroad are recruiting Ukrainians on the orders of the FSB

The head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleh Ivashchenko, said that “Russian priests” are recruiting Ukrainian refugees in Europe on behalf of the Russian FSB. According to Ivashchenko, he is aware of cases when “Russian priests” in a church in northern Europe ‘inspired’ Ukrainians to “spy in favor of the FSB.” He said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

“Some of the 6.5 million Ukrainians who went abroad due to the war are influenced by the Russian church. Russian priests are no longer just priests, they are agents. They went to Europe on a mission. Under the cover of their Foreign Intelligence Service or FSB. The peculiarity is that the state allocates certain funds for the church to local parishioners. And the priest transfers this money to the Ukrainian occupied territories. He supports our enemies,” Ivashchenko said.

The head of the Foreign Intelligence Service added that recruitment is not direct, but by “suggestion.” Ivashchenko noted that in Ukraine, the SBU protects citizens from such cases, while abroad these opportunities are limited.

Earlier, the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Andriy Kovalenko, accused the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of terrorist acts against territorial centers for recruitment and social support. Kovalenko claims that Russia finances such actions through UOC parishes, and that members of the Church’s “security forces” are involved in the execution.