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☆ Ukraine launches drone attacks targeting Russian energy infrastructure, Ukraine special services source says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Victoria Butenko | Maria Kostenko | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Ukraine launched attacks on eight Russian regions with long-range strike drones in the early hours of Saturday morning, targeting a fuel depot and power substations, according to a statement from a Ukrainian special services source. “Russian Defense Ministry is complaining that dozens of Ukrainian drones popped up in some eight regions - Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga regions, and even Moscow region. The source added that the “energy infrastructure that feeds the Russian military-industrial facilities was the target. The Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting one drone over the Smolensk region, and said that its air defense systems intercepted or destroyed 50 Ukrainian drones in the past day. Video obtained by ReutersIn recent months, Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks deep inside Russian territory, targeting energy infrastructure like oil refineries and terminals, as well as airfields.

Persons: ”, Vasiliy Anokhin, Anokhin, Aleksandr Bogomaz, ” Bogomaz, Oleksandr Syrskyi Organizations: CNN —, Russian Defense Ministry, Russian Defense, Security Service of Ukraine, Defence Intelligence, Special Operations Forces of, Armed Forces of, “, Russia’s Ministry, Reuters, CNN, Ukrainian, of Locations: CNN — Ukraine, Moscow, Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga, Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia’s Smolensk, Ukrainian, Kardymovsky district, Russia, Ukraine, Ryazan Region

☆ Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries shows the growing threat AI drones pose to energy markets
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine's campaign of attacks against Russian oil refineries is demonstrating how relatively cheap drones that utilize artificial intelligence could pose a major threat to global energy markets. Ukraine-launched drones have hit 18 Russian oil refineries this year with a combined capacity of 3.9 million barrels per day, according to report published by JPMorgan earlier this month. Some 670,000 bpd of Russian refining capacity is currently offline due to the strikes, according to the bank. "Certainly, those attacks could have a knock-on effect in terms of the global energy situation," Austin told the Senate Armed Services Committee. The deployment of AI drones also has broader implications for global energy markets, according to Bob Brackett, a senior research analyst at Bernstein.

Persons: Natasha Kaneva, Lloyd Austin, Biden, Austin, we've, John Kilduff, Bob Brackett, Bernstein, Brackett Organizations: Reuters, JPMorgan, Kyiv, . Defense, Senate Armed Services Committee, Financial, Again Locations: Ukraine, Ryazan, Ryazan Region, Russia, Taneco, Kyiv, Moscow, Russian, China, India

☆ Oil prices rise as Ukraine strikes Russian refineries
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Smoke billows after Ukraine's SBU drone strikes a refinery, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Ryazan, Ryazan Region, Russia, in this screen grab from a video obtained by Reuters, March 13, 2024. Crude oil futures rose Monday as Ukraine drone strikes disrupt Russian oil refining capacity. The West Texas Intermediate contract for April gained 38 cents, or 0.47%, to $81.01 a barrel. A Ukrainian drone strike caused a fire at the Kuibyshev oil refinery in the city of Samara over the weekend. Industry sources told Reuters that one of the major refining units at the facility was knocked out after the attack.

Persons: Brent Organizations: Reuters, West Texas Intermediate Locations: Ukraine, Ryazan, Ryazan Region, Russia, Ukrainian, Samara

☆ Ukraine's SBU hits Russia's Volgograd oil refinery in drone attack, source says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A general view shows the oil refinery of the Lukoil company in Volgograd, Russia on April 22, 2022. Two Ukrainian drones struck a primary oil processing facility at the Volgograd oil refinery in southern Russia on Saturday in an operation conducted by the SBU security service, a Ukrainian source told Reuters. Local authorities in Russia said earlier that a fire had been extinguished at the large refinery following a drone attack. The strike is the latest in a series of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian oil facilities in recent weeks, infrastructure that Kyiv sees as important for the Kremlin's war effort. The source in Kyiv told Reuters such drone attacks would continue.

Persons: Lukoil Organizations: Reuters, Local Locations: Volgograd, Russia, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Russian, Ukraine

☆ Ukraine's SBU Hits Russia's Volgograd Oil Refinery in Drone Attack Source
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV (Reuters) - Two Ukrainian drones struck a primary oil processing facility at the Volgograd oil refinery in southern Russia on Saturday in an operation conducted by the SBU security service, a Ukrainian source told Reuters. Local authorities in Russia said earlier that a fire had been extinguished at the large refinery following a drone attack. The refinery is owned by oil producer Lukoil. The strike is the latest in a series of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian oil facilities in recent weeks, infrastructure that Kyiv sees as important for the Kremlin's war effort. The source in Kyiv told Reuters such drone attacks would continue.

Persons: Lukoil, Tom Balmforth, Toby Chopra Organizations: Reuters, Local Locations: Ukrainian, Volgograd, Russia, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Russian, Ukraine

☆ Ukraine Says It Uncovers Mass Fraud in Weapons Procurement
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - Ukraine's SBU security service said on Saturday it had uncovered a corruption scheme in the purchase of arms by the country's military totalling the equivalent of about $40 million. The announcement of mass procurement fraud, confirmed by Ukraine's Defence Ministry, will have a huge resonance in a country beleaguered by Russia's nearly two-year-old invasion. The fight to root out endemic corruption remains a major issue as Ukraine presses its bid to secure membership in the European Union. "According to the investigation, former and current high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Defence and heads of affiliated companies are involved in the embezzlement." Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov was dismissed last September over various corruption cases despite enjoying a solid reputation in representing Ukraine in its discussions with Western allies.

Persons: Russia's, Oleksii Reznikov, Ron Popeski, Maria Starkova, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Reuters, Ukraine's Defence Ministry, European Union, Ministry of Defence, Lviv Arsenal, . Defence, Western Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian

☆ Ukraine predicted where Russia would reroute trains after it blasted the railroad connecting Russia and China, and then attacked again, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's security service attacked a major railroad connecting Russia and China, reports say. A Ukrainian official told the BBC they had preempted the diversion, and Russians fell into the "trap." AdvertisementUkraine's security service attacked a railway line deep inside Russia in an act of sabotage and then attacked again when the trains were diverted. Speaking about the act of sabotage, a Ukrainian official told Politico: "This is the only serious railway connection between the Russian Federation and China. Aviation fuel on the second train spilled over 150 square meters, or over 1600 square feet, Politico reported.

Persons: —, Ukraine's, Baza Organizations: BBC, Service, Security, Russian Telegram, Russian Railway, Politico, Russian Federation and, Aviation Locations: Russia, China, Russia's, Ukraine, Russian Federation and China

☆ Ukraine's SBU targets rail line deep inside Russian Siberia - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, Nov 30 (Reuters) - An operation conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) detonated explosives on a railway line in Siberia that Russia uses for military supplies, a Ukrainian source told Reuters on Thursday. Such an attack, more than 4,000 km (2,480 miles) from Ukraine, would be a striking demonstration of Kyiv's ability to conduct operations deep inside Russia. Reuters could not independently verify the account or whether the rail route is used for military supplies. Russian sources acknowledged that a train had caught fire in the area, but made no mention of explosives. In a statement online, it said rail traffic had been rerouted, slightly increasing journey time, but that transport had not been interrupted.

Persons: Tom Balmforth, Gleb Stolyarov, William Maclean Organizations: Security Service of Ukraine, Reuters, Russia's, Russian Railways, Thomson Locations: Siberia, Russia, Ukrainian, Buryatia, Mongolia, Ukraine, Russian

☆ Ukrainian attack causes 'serious damage' at Crimea air base - Ukrainian intelligence source
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Ukraine's SBU security service and navy struck the Saky air base in Russian-occupied Crimea overnight, inflicting "serious damage", a Ukrainian intelligence source said on Thursday. The Russian military, meanwhile, said it had destroyed 19 Ukrainian drones over Crimea and the Black Sea, and gave no details on casualties or damage. Ukraine has ramped up attacks in the Black Sea and Crimea, which was seized and annexed by Russia in 2014, as Ukrainian forces press on with a nearly four-month-old counteroffensive. Kyiv said a series of attacks on Crimea last week damaged two Russian patrol ships and destroyed a sophisticated air defence system. On Wednesday Kyiv said Ukrainian forces struck a Russian Black Sea fleet command post near Sevastopol in Crimea.

Persons: Tom Balmforth, Anna Pruchnicka, Mark Heinrich, Timothy Organizations: Security Service, Navy, Wednesday Kyiv, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Crimea, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, Russian, Sevastopol

☆ Russian tourism in Crimea is down, but many still shrug off risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Summary This content was produced in Russian-annexed Crimea, where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in Ukraine. They said it was all calm here with no problems on the Crimea Bridge. Fewer visitors to Crimea have meant more for Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea and Dagestan in Russia's north Caucasus region, he said. FATAL CROSSINGFor one Russian couple, the choice of Crimea as a holiday destination proved fatal. "The goal of our trip is, of course, to have a rest, and support Russian tour operators, hoteliers, and Russian tourism, no doubt."

Persons: Siberian Viktor Motorin, Olga Morskova, Alexei Volkov, Volkov, Vasyl Maliuk, Alexander Semashko, Sergei Lenkov, Mark Trevelyan, Alexander Marrow, Gareth Jones, Sharon Singleton Organizations: National Union of Hospitality Industries, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Crimea, Ukraine, YALTA, Siberian, Moscow, Russia, Khanty, Siberia, Turkey, Thailand, Rybinsk, Sochi, Novorossiysk, Kaliningrad, Dagestan, Russia's, Caucasus, Stavropol, Vologda

☆ Ukrainian sniper ripped apart by a Russian shell says he had 16 operations to put his teeth and body back together so he could return to the front lines
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In the video of the interview, the snipers were seen using American-made Barrett sniper rifles. The sniper's unit is on the front lines somewhere in the Zaporizhzhia region. AdvertisementAdvertisementA view from the viewfinder of a Ukrainian sniper rifle at a shooting range amid Russia and Ukraine war in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on August 09, 2023. Inflicting psychological damage on the enemy and breaking their morale has long been a part of sniper operations. In a separate report on another front-line Ukrainian sniper unit, BBC reported that the unit, called the "Ghosts of Bakhmut," claims over 500 kills, with the leader claiming over 70 kills.

Persons: Ukraine's SBU, Barrett, Sasha, Nick Paton Walsh, Ignacio Marin, John Moore, Barrett MRAD Organizations: CNN, Service, Anadolu Agency, Getty, BBC, 28th Brigade, Kyiv Post, Defence, TAC Locations: Wall, Silicon, Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian, Russia, Ukraine, Donetsk Oblast, Kyiv, Bakhmut

☆ New video shows Russia fail to stop a Ukrainian drone boat named 'Sea Baby' from blowing apart a key bridge with nearly 2,000 lbs of explosives
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Ukrainian sea drone attacked a key bridge in Crimea last month, damaging the structure. Kyiv has made increasing use of sea drones in the Black Sea, striking different Russian targets. On Wednesday, Ukraine's SBU published several photos and videos of the "Sea Baby" drone used in the Kerch Bridge attack on its Telegram channel. Earlier this month, Ukrainian drone boats hit the Russian warship Olenegorsky Gornyak at the port of Novorossiysk, badly damaging the vessel. And like the Kerch Bridge strike, the drone that struck the landing ship did so without meeting any obvious resistance.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Ukraine's SBU, Vasyl Maliuk, Olenegorsky Organizations: CNN, Service, The Security Service, Kyiv, Security Service, Russia Locations: Crimea, Kyiv, Wall, Silicon, Crimean, Russia, Ukraine, Kerch, Moscow, Russian, Ukrainian, Novorossiysk, Syria

☆ Russia says it thwarts Ukrainian rocket attack on Crimean Bridge, downs drones
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 12 (Reuters) - Russia's Defence Ministry said on Saturday that Ukraine had tried unsuccessfully to strike the Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait with S-200 rockets, but that no damage or casualties had been caused. The 12-mile (19-km) bridge, which links Russian-annexed Crimea to Russia, has come under repeated attack from Ukrainian forces since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. "The Ukrainian missile was detected in a timely manner and was intercepted in the air by Russian air defence systems. Separately, Russian forces destroyed 20 Ukrainian drones launched onto the Crimean Peninsula earlier on Saturday, Russia's Defence Ministry said. It was not immediately clear what was targeted in those reported attacks on the Black Sea peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Persons: Sergei Aksyonov, Vladimir Putin, Lidia Kelly, Felix, Gareth Jones, William Mallard, Helen Popper Our Organizations: Russia's Defence, Ukrainian, Russian, Russia's Defence Ministry, Reuters, Kremlin, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kerch, Russian, Crimea, Russia, Ukrainian, Moscow

☆ Russian navy vessel damaged in drone attack - Ukrainian source
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Russian Navy's large landing ship Olenegorsky Gornyak sets sail in the Bosphorus, on its way to the Black Sea, in Istanbul, Turkey February 9, 2022. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File PhotoAug 4 (Reuters) - The Russian navy's Olenegorsky Gornyak landing ship was damaged during a sea drone attack conducted by Ukraine's SBU security agency and navy near the Russian port of Novorossiysk on Friday, a Ukrainian intelligence source said. "As a result of the attack, the Olenegorsky Gornyak received a serious breach and currently cannot conduct its combat missions," the source told Reuters. "All the Russian statements about a 'repelled attack' are fake," the source said. Russia's defence ministry said earlier that Ukrainian sea drones had attacked a Russian navy base near the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, a major hub for Russian exports, and were destroyed by Russian warships.

Persons: Murad Sezer, Ukraine's, Gornyak, Tom Balmforth, Toby Chopra, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Russian, Thomson Locations: Istanbul, Turkey, Novorossiysk, Ukrainian, Russian, Ukraine, Moscow

☆ Russia demands release of Orthodox cleric detained in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 15 (Reuters) - Russia on Saturday demanded the immediate release of a senior Orthodox cleric detained in Kyiv on suspicion of inflaming religious hatred and justifying Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A Kyiv court ordered pre-trial detention on Friday for Metropolitan Pavlo, a senior figure in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who had been under house arrest since April. Ukraine has been cracking down on the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church, claiming it is pro-Russian and collaborating with Moscow. Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, on Saturday appealed to Pope Francis, the head of the United Nations and other religious and political figures to show support for the detained cleric. "I urge you to pay attention to the ongoing persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine and to take all possible measures to protect Metropolitan Pavlo ... from lawless persecution," Kirill said.

Persons: Pavlo, Maria Zakharova, Kirill, Pope Francis Organizations: Saturday, Kyiv, Metropolitan Pavlo, Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Russian Foreign Ministry, Church, Moscow, Russian Orthodox Church, United Nations, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Kyiv, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Russian, Moscow

☆ Russia says it thwarted Ukrainian plot to kill Moscow-backed head of Crimea
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Andrew Osborn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 3 (Reuters) - Russia's FSB security service said on Monday it had thwarted a Ukrainian attempt to assassinate Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-backed head of Crimea, arresting an agent before he could blow up Aksyonov's car. Russian media have reported that security has been stepped up in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and that additional checks are being made on crossings from Russia's southern Krasnodar region into Crimea. Footage broadcast on state TV showed masked FSB operatives detaining a man in a tracksuit as he walked into a wooded area. The FSB did not name the man, who it said was in his mid-30s and had entered Crimea in June. Aksyonov thanked the FSB and said he was sure the individuals who ordered the assassination would be found and punished.

Persons: Sergei Aksyonov, Ukraine's, Aksyonov, Andrew Osborn, Mark Trevelyan, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Crimea, Ukraine, Russia, Russia's, Krasnodar, Ukrainian, Simferopol

Henriette Borgund knows attackers can find weaknesses in the defences of a big renewables power company - she's found them herself. She joined Norway's Hydro (NHY.OL) as an "ethical hacker" last April, bringing years of experience in military cyberdefence to bear at a time of war in Europe and chaos in energy markets. They're nervously monitoring a hybrid war where physical energy infrastructure has already been targeted, from the Nord Stream gas pipelines to the Kakhovka dam. It said Russia had tried to destroy digital networks and cause power cuts, and that missile attacks on facilities were often accompanied by cyberattacks. "Companies in the energy space, their core business is producing energy, not cybersecurity," said Jalal Bouhdada, CEO of cybersecurity firm Applied Risk, a division of DNV.

Persons: Nora Buli, Henriette Borgund, she's, shoring, Michael Ebner, cyberattacks, didn't, Swantje Westpfahl, James Forrest, Cem Gocgoren, Stephan Gerling, Mathias Boeswetter, Leonhard Birnbaum, Jalal Bouhdada, Nina Chestney, Christoph Steitz, America Hernandez, Paris Pavel Polityuk, Guy Faulconbridge, Pravin Organizations: REUTERS, Norway's Hydro, Reuters, Hydro's Oslo, Hydro, Ukraine, cyberattacks, Germany's Institute for Security, TRITON, Triton, Svenska, ICS CERT, University of Tulsa, E.ON, " Companies, Pravin Char, Thomson Locations: Norwegian, Fosen, Norway, Ukraine, OSLO, LONDON, FRANKFURT, Europe, Nord, Russia, Ukrainian, Moscow, United States, Russian, Capgemini, Saudi, Swedish, DNV, Oslo, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Kiev

☆ Kyiv says it intercepted call showing Russia blew up Kakhovka dam
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Dan Peleschuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The destruction of the facility on Tuesday unleashed mass flooding, forcing thousands of residents to flee and wreaking environmental havoc. Russia, which has accused Kyiv of destroying the dam, did not immediately comment on its content. That was our sabotage group," said one of the men on the recording, described by the SBU as a Russian soldier. "The interception by the SBU confirms that the Kakhovskaya HPP (Hydroelectric Power Plant) was blown up by a sabotage group of the occupiers," the SBU said in a statement. "The invaders wanted to blackmail Ukraine by blowing up the dam and staged a man-made disaster in the south of our country."

Persons: Ukraine's, SBU, Vasyl Malyuk, Vladimir, Putin's, Dan Peleschuk, Timothy Heritage, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Security Service of Ukraine, Reuters, Russian Federation, Thomson Locations: Russia Moscow, Ukraine, KYIV, Russian, Russia, Kherson

☆ Ukraine posts video of rare drone-on-drone warfare where it slams its own unmanned aircraft into a Russian one
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Kieran Corcoran | Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Video posted by Ukraine's security agency showed an odd facet of drone warfare. This clip showed a Ukrainian drone smashing into an enemy drone in flight. A video posted Wednesday by Ukraine's internal security service, the SBU, deviated from that norm. The rest of the video shows more conventional drone operations, aimed at what appear to be Russian military supply trucks. A Ukrainian exploding drone closes in on a truck as two people dive for cover in a video published in May 2023 by Ukraine's SBU security agency.

☆ Ukraine servicemen accused of treason over unauthorised mission
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, April 20 (Reuters) - A number of Ukrainian servicemen have been accused of treason for giving away information during an unauthorised mission that enabled Russia to attack a military airfield, Ukraine's SBU security agency said on Thursday. The SBU said in a statement that the servicemen had attempted, "without coordination with the relevant state authorities", to seize a Russian plane last July after its pilot said he would defect. The SBU did not say how many service personnel were involved, or identify them, but said they were accused of treason and abuse of their position. "These actions of individual servicemen, which led to serious consequences, death and injury of Ukraine's defenders and harmed the country's defence capabilities, require an appropriate legal assessment." Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February last year, did not comment on the SBU statement.

[1/2] The remains of the Ninel Hotel, a hotel taken over by Russian security officials that was hit by the Ukrainian military on October 5, are seen in downtown Kherson, Ukraine November 17, 2022. Ukraine's SBU and Russia's FSB did not respond to requests for comment on Dollar’s account or other partisan operations. Pavlo Zaporozhets served in the Ukrainian army from 2014-17 and joined Ukraine's GUR military intelligence during the occupation of Kherson, Ladin said. While some details about the FSB account were true, Ladin said, the FSB falsely accused Zaporozhets of deliberately targeting civilians as well as the night patrol. Despite the liberation of Kherson, Dollar said he and Kosatka would continue aiding the resistance until Ukrainian troops recover Crimea, where the couple owns an apartment.

☆ Ukraine security forces smash prostitution ring run by migration officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 1 (Reuters) - Ukraine's SBU security service said on Wednesday it had broken up a prostitution ring run by immigration officials, part of a drive to crush corrupt practices and meet Western standards on eliminating graft. The SBU said the ring had been headed by officials of the Migration Department of the national police, normally responsible for safeguarding the interests of displaced people. "These senior officials oversaw a broad 'protection' scheme for prostitution in Kyiv and in other regions," the SBU statement said. In a nightly video address, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked the security services for their "quick reaction to these shameful developments". Russia's invasion prompted more than 7 million people to leave Ukraine, according to U.N. figures, though nearly half subsequently returned home.

☆ Ukraine orders punitive measures on clerics with Moscow links
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Nick Starkov | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, Dec 12(Reuters) - Ukraine's top security officials have ordered punitive measures against seven senior clerics, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday, part of a crackdown on a branch of the Orthodox Church with longstanding ties to Moscow. The clerics are among Orthodox leaders known to have been sympathetic to Russia's portrayal of its 10-month-old invasion of Ukraine. The Moscow-linked church severed ties with the Russian Orthodox Church after the February invasion, but many Ukrainians remain deeply suspicious of its motives. The Russian church wholeheartedly backs the invasion. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev described the authorities in Kyiv as "satanists" and "enemies of Christ and the Orthodox faith".

☆ Ukrainian security service accuses Orthodox cleric of supporting Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Ukraine's SBU security service accused a senior Orthodox Christian cleric on Friday of engaging in anti-Ukrainian activity by supporting Russian policies in social media posts. The announcement followed a series of raids of property used by a Ukrainian branch of the Orthodox Church that is historically tied to Russia and has come under increasing pressure since Russia's invasion. The Orthodox Church in Russia has backed Moscow's invasion, and Kyiv says some clerics in Ukraine could be taking orders from Moscow. Orthodox Church officials in Ukraine did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Since the collapse of Soviet rule, tensions have been high between the Moscow-subordinated church and an independent Ukrainian church.

☆ Ukrainian intelligence announces seizure of propaganda in Russian Orthodox church, blurs face of cat 'agent'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian intelligence said Thursday its agents had seized propaganda found inside Russian Orthodox churches. In a statement, Ukraine's SBU also said it found Russian passports and looted icons. It also released a photo of those agents that included a cat whose face was blurred. The SBU also claimed to have found documents indicating that Russian Orthodox priests were collaborating with the Russian government and its occupation authorities in Kherson. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused the Russian Orthodox Church of seeking to "weaken Ukraine from within" amid calls from some to ban the organization.

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