The UOC priest from Liman was suspected of complicity with Russia "for transferring the temple to a weapons depot"

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has charged the rector of the UOC church in the town of Liman in Donetsk Region. He is suspected of allegedly voluntarily handing over the temple to Russian troops for use as a weapons and ammunition depot during the occupation of the town.

As reported Suspilne Donbas with reference to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, we are talking about the rector of the Church of St. Lawrence and St. Xenia of the Gorlovka diocese of the UOC.

According to the investigation, in 2022, during the temporary occupation of Liman, the priest allegedly voluntarily provided the Russian military with the territory and premises of the temple. The occupation troops used them to house personnel, military equipment, as well as to store weapons and ammunition.

The priest is suspected under Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine(aiding and abetting an aggressor state). The sanction of the article provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for up to 15 years with confiscation of property.

We shall remind you that the Ivano-Frankivsk city court sentenced in absentia a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church, Vladyslav Berehovy, to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property. He was found guilty of encroaching on the territorial integrity of Ukraine and organizing fundraising for the armed forces of the Russian Federation.