Ukraine Charges Putin's 'Spiritual Mentor' Shevkunov for Supporting Aggression

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) and the Prosecutor General's Office have announced suspicion charges against Georgy Shevkunov, a senior Russian Orthodox Church figure widely described as the 'spiritual mentor' of President Vladimir Putin. The charges, filed in absentia, accuse him of supporting Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and publicly justifying war crimes committed during the conflict.

Shevkunov, a metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church, has been a prominent voice within Russia promoting the ideological foundations of the war. Ukrainian investigators allege he has systematically used his religious authority to legitimize the invasion and deflect international criticism of documented Russian atrocities.

Religious Figures Prosecuted for War Support

The case against Shevkunov is part of a broader Ukrainian legal effort to hold accountable not only military commanders but also those who promoted or justified the war from positions of religious, political, or cultural influence. Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office has opened hundreds of war crimes cases since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

In absentia proceedings allow Ukraine to pursue charges against Russian nationals and officials who are beyond the reach of Ukrainian law enforcement. If Shevkunov were to travel to a country with an extradition agreement with Ukraine, he could potentially face arrest.

• Charged: Georgy Shevkunov, Russian Orthodox Church metropolitan
• Charges: supporting Russian aggression, justifying war crimes
• Filed in absentia by SBU and Prosecutor General's Office
• Part of broader accountability for war promoters