Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, an advisor to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, has called the accusations by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) against four hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) "absurd and shameful."  

Earlier this week, the SBU announced it had initiated a criminal investigation against Metropolitan Barsanuphius of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Metropolitan Pavel of Krutitsy and Kolomna, and Metropolitan Dionysius of Omsk and Taurida. They are accused of "facilitating changes to Ukraine's borders" and "seizing the property of Ukrainian churches." According to the SBU, the hierarchs allegedly aided the transfer of dioceses in Crimea and other regions into direct jurisdiction under the Moscow Patriarchate and the ROC Synod.  

In his response, Archpriest Balashov described the accusations as "a ridiculous imitation of investigative activity" and highlighted several errors in the SBU's claims. He noted that Metropolitan Pavel does not oversee the nonexistent "Kolomna Diocese," and Metropolitan Dionysius has not held his previous position within the Moscow Patriarchate for over a year, now serving in Omsk. Additionally, Balashov pointed out that a deceased Metropolitan Nicholas (Yarushevich), who passed away in 1961, was inexplicably included in a Ukrainian sanctions list.  

He further emphasized that church property within the Russian Orthodox Church belongs to local religious communities rather than the Moscow Synod.  

In June 2022, dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in Crimea formally requested to be transferred to the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate, resulting in the establishment of the Crimean Metropolia of the Russian Church. Similar transitions occurred with the Berdyansk and Rovenki dioceses. However, other dioceses, such as those in Luhansk and Donetsk, have maintained nominal ties with Kyiv.  

The ROC insists these jurisdictional changes were driven solely by the local religious communities and are unrelated to political issues or the demarcation of state borders. Balashov described the accusations as part of an ongoing campaign against the Church and a misunderstanding of its internal governance.