You're reading: Police search Moscow Patriarchate buildings in Zhytomyr Oblast

Police in Zhytomyr region have said several buildings involving the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) have been searched.

“Some eight searches are being conducted within the framework of the investigation of criminal proceedings under Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine,” the regional police told the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency on December 3. Police added that the local office of Ukraine’s SBU State Security Service participated.

“Searches are conducted within the framework of the investigation of criminal proceedings initiated under Article 161 (violation of equality of citizens depending on their racial, nationality, religious beliefs, disability and other grounds) of Ukraine’s Criminal Code in Zhytomyr, Korosten, Ovruch and Kyiv,” the police said.

The searches are being conducted within the framework of an investigation involving Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra locum Pavlo, a source told Interfax-Ukraine. In addition, the UOC-MP’s information department said SBU agents in three buses arrived in Voronky, Boryspil district, Kyiv region on November 30, 2018 to conduct a search.