In Ukraine, employees of the military enlistment office abducted a priest of the UOC

Employees of the Ukrainian Shopping mall (territorial recruitment center, an analogue of the military enlistment office) in the town of Smela, Cherkasy region, abducted the rector of the local church of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). This was reported on November 7 by the Union of Orthodox Journalists (UOJ).

"In the city of Smela, employees of the local shopping mall forcibly took away the rector of the UOC church in honor of the New Martyrs of Cherkassy, priest Alexei Lukash," the UOJ Telegram channel says.

According to the organization, the priest was detained during the divine service. After that, he was immediately taken to the military enlistment office. The abbot's wife had to call the police because she needed to give her husband vital medicines. Currently, the woman is not getting in touch.

"Representatives of the Cherkassy diocese of the UOC were not provided with any documents confirming his priestly rank or the legality of his detention," the UOJ said.

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Before that, on October 17, in Kovel, Volyn region in western Ukraine, the staff of the Shopping mall mobilized a priest of the UOC with many children. The staff of the Shopping Mall detained a cleric of the UOC church of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God. It was noted that the clergyman has four children, which confirms his right to a postponement from mobilization. However, they began to prepare the man to be sent to a military training ground.

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