Ukraine hands over to Russia one of Russian-linked church priests as part of recent prisoner swap

As part of the latest prisoner of war swap, Metropolitan Ionafan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), who was convicted in Ukraine for justifying Russian armed aggression, went to Russia. He has already met with Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) Patriarch Vladimir Gundyaev (Kirill).

Source: BBC News Russia, ROC website

Details: In particular, Andrii Kovaliov, the official representative of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that Metropolitan Ionafan of the UOC-MP was part of the exchange of prisoners of war with Russia on 25 June.

Kovaliov said that Ionafan agreed to his exchange on 10 April this year.

On 25 June, the Russian Orthodox Church reported that the 75-year-old metropolitan was released on 22 June "at the request of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus as a result of negotiations".

Another report from the Russian Orthodox Church also said that Kirill met with Jonathan and awarded him the Church Order of St Sergius of Radonezh, first class. Although the ROC announced the order itself at the end of January 2024, it was a birthday present for Jonathan.

Background:

• In August last year, a Ukrainian court found Jonathan, who headed the Tulchyn Diocese of the UOC (Vinnytsia Oblast), guilty. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison with confiscation of property for justifying, recognising as lawful, denying the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, and glorifying its participants.
• In 2023, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suspended the citizenship of 13 UOC-MP hierarchs and priests, including Metropolitan Jonathan (Anatolii Ivanovych Yeletskyh).
• During the searches, leaflets and texts with pro-Russian propaganda and calls for a violent change in the constitutional order were found in Jonathan's possession.

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