Cyril and Methodius Monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church being searched

MOSCOW. Nov 30 (Interfax) - The Security Service of Ukraine began "counterintelligence procedures" at the Cyril and Methodius Monastery in Drachino, in the Trans-Carpathian region of Ukraine, on Wednesday morning, the Ukrainian media said.

The Security Service officers are examining the monastery premises and verifying the involvement of brethren in "illegal activities to the detriment of the state sovereignty of Ukraine" together with representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, to which the monastery belongs.

The media said the Security Service officers explained their visit with the need to check information about plans to use the eparchy as a Russian world cell and to prevent the use of Ukrainian Orthodox Church premises for hiding Russians.

Similar checks have been conducted at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, Ukrainian Orthodox Church facilities in the Rovno region, and the residence of Metropolitan Ionafan of Tulchin and Bratslav in the Vinnitsa region.