The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has notified a former head of the Kirovohrad diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) of suspicion of being involved in subversive activities against Ukraine – the bishop was in constant contact with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and justified the annexation of Crimea by Russia.

"The SBU collected evidence of guilt of the former head of the Kirovohrad diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) for subversive activities against Ukraine. The bishop was part of the inner circle of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, with whom he coordinated the spread of pro-Kremlin views in the region," the SBU said on the Telegram channel on Friday.

According to the Ukrainian special service, for this purpose the Metropolitan was in constant contact with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and carried out his instructions regarding the justification of Russian aggression and the seizure of a part of the territory of Ukraine, in particular Crimea.

"He received instructions from Moscow in the form of written circulars, as well as during personal meetings in the territory of Russia. It was established that enemy propaganda literature, which was printed in thousands of copies by the aggressor state's publishing houses, was spread among people in churches of the diocese. The Russian 'authors' of these books questioned Ukrainian statehood and glorified the Kremlin regime," it said.

During the searches in the territory of the diocese, the SBU found a large number of enemy print materials and documents containing evidence of correspondence with Moscow-based "coordinators."

"According to the conclusions of an independent expertise conducted at the initiative of the SBU, the criminal activities of the Metropolitan pose threat to national security of Ukraine," the special service said.

The bishop was notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 161 (violation of the equality of citizens depending on their race, nationality, regional affiliation, religious beliefs, disability and other grounds) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The measures for exposure of criminal activities were taken by employees of the SBU in Kirovohrad region under the procedural guidance of the prosecutor's office.

An informed law enforcement source told Interfax-Ukraine that the bishop has familiarized himself with the suspicion notice.

"He was not detained. A preventive measure for him is yet to be selected," the source said.