The Office of the Prosecutor General, together with the Security Service of Ukraine, has reported suspicion against a citizen of Russia – Metropolitan of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk Kirill (Leonid Pokrovsky).

According to the investigation, the suspect heads the Synodal Department of the Russian Orthodox Church for interaction with the armed forces and law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation. This structure provides ideological support for the actions of the Russian military-political leadership and effectively serves as a link between the state, the church, and the army.

It has been established that Pokrovsky acted in collusion with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and other representatives of the ROC, facilitating the subordination of Ukrainian dioceses to Moscow. In addition, he created a system of informational influence on believers in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, spreading messages about "unity with Russia" and justifying the occupation.

On October 1, 2022, Metropolitan Kirill recorded a video address in which he openly approved of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The next day, this video was published on the official YouTube channel of a structural unit of the ROC titled "Address of the Head of the Stavropol Metropolis from October 1, 2022."

In July 2023, Pokrovsky gave an interview to the Russian state agency "RIA Novosti," in which he repeated Kremlin narratives about a "just war" and "heroic liberators." These statements were disseminated by Russian media, turning the religious pulpit into a tool of propaganda.

According to the investigation, through his actions, the suspect helped the enemy undermine the sovereignty of Ukraine, formed a distorted perception among believers about the causes and consequences of the war, and justified aggression under the guise of religious activity.

This case demonstrates that the justification of war has nothing to do with faith, and the word spoken in the name of the church can become a weapon in the hands of the aggressor.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the Main Investigative Department of the Security Service of Ukraine under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General.