On June 1, 2023, the SSU handed a suspicion to Metropolitan Vissarion of Ovruch and Korosten, as well as the secretary of the Ovruch diocese of the UOC. The bishop of the UOC is suspected of inciting inter-religious hatred, the press service of the SSU reports.

The investigation indicated that Metropolitan Vissarion “personally prepared the texts of pro-Kremlin leaflets and brochures”, with a total circulation of 50,000 copies. Later, the secretary of the diocese distributed these materials among the believers of the religious community, the SSU added.

“In these “agitations” he offended the religious feelings of Ukrainians, humiliated the views of believers of other faiths and tried to form hostile moods towards them. <…> Based on the findings of the examinations and the collected evidence, both malefactors were informed of the suspicion under Part 2 of Art. 28 and part 2 of Art. 161,” the ministry said.

The sanction of the article provides for punishment in the form of a fine of five hundred to a thousand non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens or imprisonment for a term of two to five years.