Security forces raid another Ukrainian Orthodox Church cathedral

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) raided a cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Friday as part of an ongoing crackdown on churches allegedly loyal to Russia.

The Holy Intercession Cathedral in the city of Boryspil was raided in connection with “counterintelligence activities,” the SBU said in a statement.

SBU agents searched “the territory and premises to identify items prohibited for circulation and check persons for their involvement in illegal activities,” the statement said.

The operation was conducted a day after the SBU said it conducted raids at three monasteries of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Zhytomyr region.

It also searched 13 churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Cherkasy, Volyn, and Kherson regions on Wednesday.

The SBU raided the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, among other monasteries, on Nov. 22. Security forces claimed to have uncovered pro-Russian literature, cash, and forged documents from the buildings.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree last week banning activities of religious organizations “affiliated with centers of influence” in Russia.