The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said that the court sentenced the priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) to 12 years in prison. The department announced this on Telegram.

The man was detained in April 2022. Based on the collected evidence, the court sentenced him to 12 years in prison. It is specified that the priest allegedly transmitted information about the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the city of Lysichansk, Luhansk People's Republic, as well as in the area of Severodonetsk.

The court found him guilty of providing "assistance to the armed formations of the aggressor country in the conduct of hostilities against the Armed Forces of Ukraine", which was committed by a group of persons by prior agreement, the department added. According to the statement, the SBU is looking for another UOC priest.

Earlier, the Ukrainian service reported searches at the facilities of the UOC in the Cherkasy and Volyn regions of the republic. According to the SBU, we are talking about monasteries, cathedrals, temples, administrative buildings of dioceses, a Sunday school and a diocesan library. In addition, searches are taking place in the part of the Kherson region controlled by the Kyiv authorities.