Protopriest from Moscow-affiliated church detained by Ukraine's Security Service over espionage for Russia
www.pravda.com.ua
Thu, 10 Apr 2025 10:44:33 +0300
The Security Service of Ukraine SSU has announced that its counterintelligence unit has detained a 58yearold protopriest from the Pokrovskyi Vicariate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate UOCMP in Donetsk Oblast on suspicion of spying for Russia.
Source SSU an Ukrainska Pravda source in law enforcement agencies Valentyn Hnezdilov Photo an Ukrainska Pravda source Details The source noted that the priest in question is Valentyn Hnezdilov.
Case materials reveal that Russias Federal Security Service FSB recruited Hnezdilov through his daughter, who lives in Russia.
She reportedly wrote a letter to Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin, requesting Russian citizenship for her mother and sister, both Ukrainian nationals.
The SSU stated that a Russian intelligence officer had made remote contact with Hnezdilov following this correspondence.
In exchange for his cooperation, he was promised the evacuation of his family to Russia, the granting of Russian citizenship and initial support upon their arrival.
After agreeing to the proposal, Hnezdilov began gathering intelligence on the locations of reserve command posts, defensive structures and logistics hubs of Ukrainian forces in the Volnovakha district of Donetsk Oblast.
Quote SSU officers thwarted the enemys intentions and detained the traitor, preventing him from sending a report containing intelligence to the FSB.
A search of the suspects belongings led to the discovery of a mobile phone containing evidence of his cooperation with the enemy.
Based on the collected evidence, SSU investigators served the offender with a notice of suspicion under Article 111.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine high treason committed by a group of persons under martial law.
The offender is in custody.
He faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.
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