PGO suspects Yanukovych, Pshonka, Zakharchenko of trying to remove Metropolitan Volodymyr from his post as head of Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)

The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine has launched criminal proceedings against overthrown president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, former Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka, former Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko and other former senior officials on charges of exerting pressure on Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) with the aim of removing him as the head of the Church.

"During checks carried out at the request of an MP, we have established that Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv and All Ukraine stuck to the position of the non-interference of the church in politics, which angered Ukraine's former president, who wanted to enlist the support of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP) for the 2015 elections," the Prosecutor General's press office reported.

In addition, it was established that after unsuccessful attempts to convince Metropolitan Volodymyr to renounce his post, the then interior minister, pursuant to Yanukovych's instructions, "using his subordinates" organized "the physical isolation" of Archbishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP) Oleksandr (Drabynko), the personal secretary and confidant of the primate of the church.

"One of the conditions for the release of Archbishop Oleksandr from the isolation was persuading Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine to renounce his post," the press service said.

Criminal cases under Part 3 of Article 365 of the Criminal Code (the abuse of power or authority) were opened against the above-mentioned officials.

As reported, Archbishop Oleksandr (Drabynko) was a suspect in the case of attempt on lives of two nuns in 2013. After the change in government in Ukraine the charges against him were dropped.

In February 2014, the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate elected Metropolitan Onufriy of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna to be the locum tenens of the Metropolitan Diocese of Kyiv, given that Metropolitan Volodymyr cannot perform his duties as head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church any longer due to health issues.

Volodymyr remains the official head of the Moscow-run Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is a life-long position.