Evidence of Russian participation in the annexation of Crimea and support for the Donbas terrorists has been revealed under a somewhat different angle. It appears the so-called “Strelkov,” Igor Hirkin — one of the leaders of the terrorists in the East, conducted surveillance in Ukraine even before the occupation of Crimea under the patronage of the Russian Orthodox Church and a Kremlin billionaire, according to an investigative report by TSN.Tyzhden.
Information uncovered by journalists indicates that, under the guise of orthodoxy, members of the Russian Duma, along with “Strelkov,” prepared a special operation in Ukraine long before the Crimean pseudo-referendum.
The “Holy” Delegation
A month before the seizure of Crimea, on January 30, in Simferopol, under the patronage of the Russian Orthodox Church and Patriarch Kirill, the Orthodox relic Gifts of the Magi was brought from Mount Athos. Security for this precious relic of the Christian world was entrusted to Igor Hirkin, who today is directing the terrorists in the Donbas and who is known under the alias Strelkov.
“In fact, Hirkin, used this relic as cover for his trip to conduct reconnaissance on Ukrainian territory in Crimea, and he held meetings with the self-proclaimed government of Sergey Aksyonov,” reported Volodymyr, an agent with the Security Service of Ukraine.
It became clear that Hirkin became something of a permanent member of the Orthodox delegations to Ukraine. There is evidence that he systematically visited the Southern and Eastern eparchies of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In fact, these trips can now be considered as reconnaissance and preparatory missions. And, apparently, he was not the only such pilgrim
In January, together with Hirkin, an entire landing party of Russian politicians arrived as part of the Gifts of the Magi delegation. Among them was the Russian billionaire Konstantin V. Malofeev and the State Duma deputy from United Russia Dmitry Sablin. Sablin is one of the leaders of the all-Russian veteran organization Soldiers Brotherhood and is known for his support for the Russian army in Chechnya and later the Syrian army. He has been honored by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB).
Also in the delegation was Oleg Lebedev, also a member of the United Russia party. He was a former soldier in Afghanistan and currently is a director of regional martial arts organizations.
“Strelkov’s communication with a person called Konstantin Valeryevich is noteworthy. In fact, it is Malofeev. This conversation is a report on completed work,” said the SBU agent Volodymyr, referring to the report that was written for Easter, after the militants had gunned down Ukrainian soldiers.
The Patriarch Kirill blessed the bloody conflict in Eastern Ukraine
The composition of the Crimean delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church had to have the blessing of Patriarch Kirill Gundyayev, who left the actual composition of the religious delegation in the hands of the Federal Security Service and the Central Intelligence Agency of Russia.
“It is obvious that the delivery of the so-called Gifts of the Magi to Ukraine provided a cover for terrorists to be brought to Ukraine,” said a priest of the Moscow Patriarchate who lives and serves in Eastern Ukraine. He hides his name and face, since he is one of the few in the Luhansk Oblast who defend the integrity of the state.
His confession on camera is shocking because it confirms that the delivery of the Gifts of the Magi was not the only special operation conducted under the cover of the Russian Church. In Sloviansk, the subversive group that became the center of terror in the Donbas was completely under the protection of the Russian church.
The holy traitors
Journalistic investigation has determined that a portion of the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has become an important element in the so-called “hybrid war” of Russia against Ukraine. In fact, there is a whole network of priests who are actively helping the Russian militants in the East.
“It’s Sloviansk, Slavkurort, it’s Druzhkivka, it’s Kramatorsk. This is official. These are leaders of the Moscow Patriarchate, these are the archdeacons, the archpriests. They are not ordinary priests. There is information that Father Vitaliy, the priest in Slavkurort, encouraged people to take arms and defend Russia from Ukrainians. In Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, we can see how priests of the Moscow Patriarchate influence people to be against Ukraine, against Ukrainians,” the Luhansk priest says.
One of the issues is the real use of religious buildings, churches and even the Sviatohirsk Lavraas bases for subversive troops. The Security Service of Ukraine has confirmed these findings based on verified calls of frightened citizens who reported militants and weapons.
“When the first riots began, buses with Russian license plates would stop in front of the Oblast Administration building and the militant with weapons would come out. Then these buses could be seen on the territory of the Sviatohirsk Lavra. They could also be seen at the oblast hotels that are located near the churches,” said the Luhansk priest.
However, the Kyiv hierarchy is clearly distancing itself from the terrorists and is trying to investigate similar trends. “We have contacted the director of the Sviatohirsk Lavra, Arseniy. He denied reports on the presence of militants and the Lavra’s closing,” stated the spokesman for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church–Moscow Patriarchate, Heorhiy Kovalenko.
The commander of this parade of separatist priests is rumored to be Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol. He communicates directly with Kirill Gundyayev, bypassing the Metropolis of Kyiv.
“Hilarion will not say officially that he is against Ukraine and for Russia. But there is proof from his entourage. When he was told that Russian troops were a hundred meters from the border with Ukraine, he said he would meet these troops as liberators,” the Luhansk priest reported.
Hilarion has long been considered the eyes and hands of the Russian Patriarch Kirill in Ukraine. He also was a personal friend of Viktor Yanukovych. “At one time he was very good friends with Yanukovych. Yanukovych and his family financed and, according to sources, continue to finance all construction projects, monasteries, cathedrals. Of course he will support his patron. I know because I have been a frequent visitor at the Moscow Kirill’s home. Kirill favors him,” the Luhansk priest admitted.
Journalists have determined that Ahafanhel, the Metropolitan of Odesa, is also involved in separatism. According to the newspaper Segodnya, at the beginning of the tragedy in Odesa, there were sniper rifles and machine guns that a priest in one of the churches of the city gave out to the faithful right after a sermon about holy Rus’.
“The weapons that separatists are using today to shoot peaceful citizens and participants in the march for the unity of Ukraine were given out last night in one of the churches in the city. During the morning prayer for holy Rus’, one of the priests supposedly gave parishioners automatic guns and sniper rifles,” the newspaper reported.
Apparently in the middle of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church–Moscow Patriarchate there is a radical wing that reports directly to Gundyayev, with very dramatic consequences for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Kirill not only has failed to respond to the appeal of the Metropolis of Kyiv to stop the war, but he has allowed the Kremlin to use the church in this war.
“Many bishops and clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate, for example, are not all like the Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk — a person who hates everything Ukrainian — because there are also bishops in the Moscow Patriarchate who support a united Ukraine,” the Luhansk priest stressed.
According to information received by TSN Tyzhden, Metropolitan Sofroniy of Cherkasy and Kaniv avoided mentioning the Patriarch Gundyayev in his sermons. This outraged Kirill’s right hand, the Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, who promised to report this canonical violation to Kirill. Recently, Alfeyev was not allowed entry into Ukraine. And recently, on the orders of this Alfeyev, the Metropolitan Volodymyr of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church–Moscow Patriarchate is no longer mentioned in the Crimean eparchy during services.
But these are only the visible signs of a future split. The Moscow hierarchy has violated something bigger than church canons. The tacit blessing by Patriarch Kirill for the Orthodox faithful to kill one another is a crime before the court of God. And the active participation in the transformation of the church into a base of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation is a crime before the criminal court. He may have to answer to both.
By TSN Correspondent Serhiy Halchenko, May 19, 2014
Translated by Anna Mostovych
Original text in Ukrainian: http://tsn.ua/politika/bratovbivchu-viynu-na-shodi-ukrayini-blagosloviv-rosiyskiy-patriarh-kirilo-350183.html
Telecast in Ukrainian and Russian:
http://vid6.tsn.ua/2014/05/18/383991529-2.mp4
