Ukrainian Intelligence Places 14 Russian Orthodox Clerics Under Suspicion for Aiding Church Seizures

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced it has placed 14 high-ranking members of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) under suspicion for aiding in the seizure of Ukrainian religious communities.

The statement, released on April 22 indicated that the suspects, who include senior clerics from various Russian religious districts, are accused of supporting the Russian regime in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

The SBU investigation revealed that from 2022 to 2024, these clerics participated in the Kremlin-backed so-called “holy synod” of the ROC. The individuals named in the investigation include Metropolitan Alexander Snigur, Bishop Mikhail Kondratiev, and Archbishop Andriy Malakhanov.

Full list

• Alexander Snigur (Artemiy) – Metropolitan of Khabarovsk and Amur Region

• Mikhail Kondratiev (Mefodiy) – Bishop ofKamensk and Kamyshlovsk

• Vitaly Ermakov (Ambrose) – Metropolitan of Tver and Kashinsky

• Leonid Gorbachev – Patriarchal Exarch of Africa

• Andriy Malakhanov – Archbishop of Petropavlovsk and Kamchatka

• Peter Mansurov (Peter) – Bishop of Kalachinsky and Muromtsevsky

• Nikolai Tserpytsky (Lev) – Metropolitan of Novgorod and Old Russia

• Yuriy Epifanov (Arseny) – Metropolitan of Lipetsk and Zadonsk

• Mikhail Nakonechny (Kyril) – Metropolitan of Kazan and Tatarstan

• Oleksiy Kryvenko (Mykola) – Bishop of North Baikal and Sosnovo-Ozersk

• Valery Golubev (Ilya) – Archbishop of Anadyr and Chukotka

• Yan Kaigorodtsev (Ilarion) – Bishop of Kineshma and Palekh

• Ilya Perov (Tarasy) – Bishop of the North Sea and Umb

• Alexander Taranov (Arkady) – Archbishop of Rovenkiv and Sverdlovsk

These clerics allegedly played an instrumental role in securing the Moscow Synod’s decision to integrate Ukrainian religious districts such as Dzhankoy, Berdyansk, Rovenkiv, and Kherson into the ROC, effectively strengthening Russia’s control over religious communities in the region.

The SBU has officially notified the 14 clerics of suspicion under Ukraine’s criminal code, citing their involvement in activities that aim to alter Ukraine’s territorial boundaries.

The charges stem from their actions, which contributed to the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory and led to significant consequences, as defined under Article 110 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

In the past, the SBU has taken action against several high-ranking ROC clerics, including Archpriest Dmytro Krotkov, who organized fundraising for Russian occupation forces, and Andriy Tkachev, who openly supported the Russian invasion and incited violence against Ukrainians.

Additionally, Patriarch Kirill of the ROC remains on the SBU’s wanted list for his role in promoting the invasion and encouraging aggression against Ukraine.

In related news, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry condemned Russia for its continued religious persecution in occupied Ukrainian territories, accusing Moscow of killing dozens of clergy members and damaging places of worship.

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