Will the churches of the Moscow Patriarchate be banned in Ukraine and will the priests be exchanged as prisoners of war?

The SBU reported on the completion of “counterintelligence measures” in the churches of the Moscow Patriarchate. In particular, we are talking about the objects of the UOC-MP in the Kharkiv region. At the same time, the Moscow Patriarchate, allegedly, is not going to ban it. 

What did the SBU find? 

In the Kharkiv diocese, security officials discovered "libraries with pro-Kremlin literature praising the aggressor country" and a large amount of cash in various currencies, including Russian rubles. 

In addition, a monk was found with a Russian passport, and in one of the churches allegedly dry rations of Russian troops. Everything has been submitted for examination. 

The Moscow Patriarchate will not be banned

Despite the large number of searches, the Moscow Patriarchate is not going to be banned. He writes about it on Facebook MP from the Servant of the People Nikita Poturaev. 

He noted that misinformation was being spread on the network about the allegedly impending ban on the Russian church. And although the Rada Committee approved this bill, there is no talk of closing the churches of the UOC-MP. 

However, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak made a recommendation on the adoption of a bill that prohibits the activities of the Moscow Patriarchate. 

Can priests of the Moscow Patriarchate be exchanged? 

Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights Dmitry Lubinets appreciated the possibility of exchanging representatives of the CPTs MP for captured Ukrainians. 

"I would not like to focus the issue specifically on representatives of the church. I can say that any citizen of the Russian Federation who is interested in the Russian authorities, we are ready to consider any options for returning them to the territory of Russia for the return of our heroes," he said. in an interview with Radio Liberty.

However, the Geneva Convention prohibits the exchange of civilians - only prisoners of war can be exchanged under it. But Ukraine does not refuse the idea of ​​exchange. 

“It is very important for us, firstly, to find legal grounds. And we have them. And different options. And secondly, yes, we are ready to do it," Lubinets explained.

Earlier, we reported that law enforcement officers found during searches in the temples of the UOC.