A court in Ukraine has sentenced Moscow-affiliated Orthodox Church Metropolitan Іоnaphan to five years in prison after he was found guilty of distributing Russian propaganda materials that called parishioners to seize power and change the borders of Ukraine.

In addition, the metropolitan published articles in support of Russian troops and their war crimes on one of the websites of the Orthodox Church.

Expert analysis of the materials seized during searches, including pro-Kremlin propaganda and literature, initiated by the Security Service of Ukraine, confirmed evidence of his illegal actions.