Maliuk reports how many cases SBU opened against UOC priests

Head of the SBU Maliuk. Photo: "My – Ukraine"

On August 12, 2025, the head of the SBU Vasyl Maliuk stated to the channel "We – Ukraine" that 170 criminal cases have been initiated against the clergy of the UOC. Priests were handed 100 suspicions, and 31 sentences were announced.

According to him, part of the cases were initiated under the article on treason, part for "inciting interracial, interreligious hatred."

At the same time, Maliuk assured that the SBU is "definitely not fighting the Church," and called himself a "believer".

“This is an ongoing front of work, and we are continuing it,” Maliuk emphasized. He also commented on the deprivation of citizenship of the UOC Primate, whom he called "Mr. Onuphry".

According to him, it "looked very strange" when the UOC stated that currently, Metropolitan does not have Russian citizenship, and advised Church representatives to read the commandments. Then he claimed that the Church denied that His Beatitude previously had Russian citizenship.

“One must believe in God, keep that in one’s heart, turn to Him, and thank Him that we are alive and healthy, and begin each new day with the right spiritual mindset,” Maliuk advised Metropolitan Onuphry.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the SBU arrested two Odessa priests for "justifying Russian aggression."

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