Media: SBU searches Ternopil Oblast monastery over pro-Russian propaganda

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has been conducting searches on Nov. 30 in the Pochaiv Monastery in Ternopil Oblast over suspected dissemination of pro-Russian ideology, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing a law enforcement source.

SBU officers reportedly arrived at the monastery of the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the morning. Ukrainska Pravda's source said that representatives of the monastery are suspected of spreading pro-Russian ideology.

The SBU spokesperson in Ternopil Oblast did not explicitly confirm the report for the Kyiv Independent but said that official information would soon be made public.

The dominant landmark of the city of Pochaiv, the monastery has long been a major religious center for numerous Christian denominations of Western Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate is subordinate to the Russian church and is not to be confused with the autocephalous (autonomous) Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Ukraine has accused the Moscow Patriarchate's representatives in Ukraine of serving as the Kremlin's propaganda arm in the war. Some "rank-and-file" clergymen have also been convicted of directly assisting Russian troops.

A priest of the Moscow-linked church was arrested by the SBU on Nov. 21 for allegedly spreading pro-Russian propaganda during sermons.