Security forces raid Ukrainian Orthodox Church buildings in three regions

Security forces on December 2 raided the buildings of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Rivne, Zhytomyr, and Zakarpattia regions, authorities in the country announced.

In a statement on Telegram, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said "counterintelligence activities" were taking place at nine religious establishments, Anadolu reports.

The country's police force and the national guard also took part in the raids, the SBU noted, adding that the search was organized "to find persons involved in illegal activities and items prohibited from circulation."

On November 23 the European Solidarity party in Ukraine, led by former President Petro Poroshenko, announced a draft bill to ban the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in the country.

This came a day after the SBU raided the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra among other monasteries, such as the Korets Holy Trinity Monastery and the premises of the Sarnenskyi-Polska Eparchy.

Security forces claimed to have uncovered pro-Russian literature, cash, and forged documents in the raids on the buildings of the church, which declared in May that it had cut ties with the Russian Orthodox Church in the wake of Russia's war on Ukraine.