SBU detained a UOC (MP) priest in Kherson who was selling Russian weapons and ammunition

The SBU detained a UOC (MP) priest in Kherson who was selling Russian weapons and ammunition

The Security Service, together with the National Police, detained the abbot of one of the UOC (MP) churches in the Kherson Region. He secretly sold weapons and ammunition that remained after the escape of the Rashists from the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

It is documented that the cleric kept enemy arsenals in 2 vaults. One of them is right on the territory of the construction of a new UOC (MP) church in Kherson.

SBU employees arrested him "red handed" - after gradually documenting an attempt to sell two portable "Igla" anti-aircraft missile complexes with accessories.

As a "supplement" to these MANPADS, the priest "offered" to purchase ammunition for RPG-7 hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers.

The seller in a cassock estimated the cost of such means of injury at 115,000 hryvnias.

It was established that the person involved sought out his clients through his own connections, including in criminal circles.

The access of weapons to representatives of the criminal world could lead to an aggravation of the internal situation in Kherson, in particular due to provocation attempts by the Russian special services.

During the inspection of the cache on the territory of the construction of the new UOC (MP) church in Kherson, 5 shots and 2 powder charges for grenade launchers were seized.

The second cache was equipped in the basement of the nine-story building. There the priest kept:
▪️ machine gun and Kalashnikov assault rifle with accessories;
▪️ 3 F-1 combat grenades;
▪️ almost 7,000 cartridges for automatic weapons, including large-caliber samples.

Currently, the person involved has been notified of the suspicion under Part 1 of Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives). The court chose a preventive measure for him in the form of detention.

The perpetrator faces up to 7 years in prison.

All seized weapons and ammunition have been sent for examination, and in the future will be transferred to the needs of the Armed Forces.