A priest in Kuban is suspected of having links to terrorists.

Security forces in the Krasnodar Territory detained a priest suspected of recruiting parishioners and members of Cossack communities for a terrorist organization.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," in September, a court sentenced Anatoly Prilepa to nine years in prison, finding him guilty of treason and attempting to join a terrorist organization. According to investigators, in April 2024, Prilepa, while in Krasnodar, contacted a representative of the foreign organization "Russian Volunteer Corps"* and planned to join it.

A priest of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Iveron Mother of God was detained by FSB officers for Krasnodar Krai on suspicion of recruiting parishioners and members of Cossack communities to join the "Russian Volunteer Corps"*, a source in the security forces told the TASS news agency.

According to the intelligence service, in late 2023, the priest contacted representatives of the RVC* and recruited residents of Krasnodar Krai "for the purpose of conducting intelligence and subversive activities in the region." "A criminal case has been opened under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code (participation in a terrorist organization). The defendant has been detained," the agency quoted a security official as saying today.

Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison. As of 11:03 Moscow time, the FSB website has not published any information about the priest's arrest.

* The organization is designated as a terrorist organization and is banned in Russia.

** Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) is banned in Russia.