Agent-operational activities of Soviet special services in the monastic community of the Hlynska pustyn (mid-1950s)

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to clarify the features, scale, and consequences of the agent-operational activities of the Soviet special services in the environment of the monastic community of the Hlynska Pustyn in the mid-1950s. The methodological basis of the study is a combination of the principles of historicism, objectivity, and critical analysis of sources, which allowed us to recreate the features of the agent-operational activities of the Soviet special services in the environment of the Hlynska Pustyn. An interdisciplinary approach was used, which integrates the achievements of the history of religion, political history, and the history of special services, as well as a microhistorical perspective, thanks to which a specific monastic community is considered as a reflection of broader processes of state-church relations in a totalitarian society. The study used historical-genetic, historical-comparative, historical-systemic, and prosopographic research methods. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the introduction into scientific circulation and systematic analysis of archival materials of the KGB, which highlight the scale and methods of agent control over the Hlynska Pustyn in the mid-1950s. The double dimension of monastic service in the conditions of a totalitarian state is shown: the preservation of spiritual tradition and forced existence under the constant supervision of Soviet special services. Conclusions. The main areas of activity of the special services in the environment of the monasticism of the Glynska Hermitage were the documentation of sermons, control over the contacts of the brethren, prevention of the formation of a network of influence among the laity, and systematic recruitment of new informants. The agent network combined spiritual agents from among the brethren and former inhabitants of the monastery and secular agents who operated among pilgrims and the local population, ensuring multi-level control over the internal and external life of the monastery. The constant presence of agents, provocations, and compromising measures created an atmosphere of distrust and psychological pressure, which significantly complicated traditional monastic service and undermined the foundation of community life built on trust and brotherly love. At the same time, the monastery retained its spiritual appeal, remaining a centre of pilgrimage and spiritual guidance.