During the occupation, the man was actively engaged in the propaganda of the Russian world, raised money for the Russian army, and blessed them with “good deeds.”

The priest of the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky at Hoptivka in Kharkiv Oblast filmed propaganda videos during the occupation of the village, in which he justified and supported the actions of the Russian Federation, blessed the Russian military for murder and raised money for the occupying army. He was served a notice of suspicion in absentia.

“In one of the videos, a priest and a Russian soldier hold a banner with the inscription ‘Triune Russia’. They thank the Russian House channel on camera for the drone for the 49th Brigade,” Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office stated.

Under the procedural supervision of the Derhachi District Prosecutor’s Office of Kharkiv region, the clergyman was served in absentia with a notice of suspicion of producing materials that justify the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine (Part 2 of Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Hoptivka in Kharkiv Oblast is located 2 kilometres from the border with Russia. The village had been under Russian occupation since February 24, 2022, but was liberated by the Ukrainian military on September 11, 2022, when they crossed the Kharkiv region’s border with Russia in the north of the region, retaking control of the village.

See also

  • Law enforcement identifies two Russian military looters. The suspected grenade launchers of the howitzer-artillery division were on contract service during the occupation. While serving in Izyum, they stole almost 2 kilograms of gold from a well-known Ukrainian jewellery store in late April 2022.
  • War crimes in Kharkiv Oblast: 37 Russian servicemen notified of suspicion. Crimes committed by the military personnel of the aggressor state and representatives of Russian private military companies must not go unpunished.Russian military committed about 14,500 war crimes in Kharkiv Oblast. Currently, prosecutors are providing procedural guidance regarding nearly 14,500 crimes involving violations of the laws and customs of war (Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), which are being examined by investigators of the Security Service of Ukraine and the police.