The Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) said this in a post on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.
Special responsibilities have been assigned by the Russian leadership to the head of the ROC's Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Anthony (Anton Sevryuk), who is close to Patriarch Kirill. He has extensive contacts in international religious circles and actively promotes the Kremlin's political interests under the guise of church diplomacy. Also involved are Metropolitan Dionysius of Omsk and Tauride (Pyotr Porubai), an active propagandist of Kremlin ideology and the "Russian world" concept; the Patriarchal Vicar of the Moscow Metropolis, Metropolitan Pavel (Georgy Ponomaryov), responsible for the ROC's work in neighboring countries; and the head of the St. Petersburg Metropolis, Metropolitan Barsanuphius (Anatoly Sudakov), who is closely linked with Russian security services and plays an active role in propaganda activities under the cover of church operations.
These figures are tasked with organizing and coordinating contacts with religious organizations whose headquarters are in the Russian Federation, as well as with pro-Russian elements in Ukraine. They are to transmit instructions from Russian intelligence services and oversee the execution of provocations in Russia's interests.
Under the guise of religious cooperation, the ROC continues to function as an instrument of Russia's hybrid influence, aimed at destabilizing the situation in Ukraine.
