SBU detains UOC-MP cleric accused of guiding Russian missile strike on Odesa
According to Ukrinform, the SBU reported this.
In March 2024, based on coordinates supplied by the recruited priest from one of the churches of the local UOC-MP diocese, Russian forces launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles at a recreational area in Odesa.
The first missile struck a residential area and other civilian infrastructure where, according to the spotter, military personnel might have been present.
The second strike hit the same location after emergency responders arrived at the scene.
After the attack, the agent reportedly informed Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, about the consequences of the strike and then went into hiding to avoid detection.
SBU officers established the priest’s involvement in coordinating the attack and detained him at his residence.
The investigation found that the cleric first attracted Russian intelligence attention by posting pro-Kremlin comments in Telegram channels.
After being recruited, the priest moved around the city in clerical robes, marking the geolocations of potential targets on Google Maps.
He reportedly transmitted the collected information through a chatbot administered by collaborator Serhii Lebedev, who is hiding in occupied Donetsk and works for Russian military intelligence.
Investigators also established that the agent provided coordinates of air defense positions protecting the skies over the Odesa region during missile attacks.
In addition, the cleric allegedly shared information about an electrical substation near Odesa, including details about its protection system, and later informed Russian military intelligence about the aftermath of a strike on the facility.
During searches, officers seized a smartphone used to collect intelligence and communicate with the GRU.
SBU investigators served the suspect with notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – high treason committed under martial law.
The suspect remains in custody without the right to bail and faces a possible life sentence with confiscation of property.
Earlier, a court sentenced a resident of the Dnipropetrovsk region to 15 years in prison for passing information about Ukrainian Defense Forces locations and energy infrastructure to Russian special services.
Photo: SBU
