UOC priest tells details of attack in Ladyzhyn: Threatened with murder

On April 2, about 30 militants burst into the territory of the church house in Ladyzhyn and attacked the priest and parishioners of the UOC in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The hired OCU militants blocked the entrances and threatened Orthodox Christians with murder. This was reported by the rector, Archpriest Yevhen Vorobiev, and the believers after the attack, according to the Dozor_kozak1 Telegram channel.

The priest said that he was knocked to the ground and dragged outside the territory, then he was beaten and his clothes torn.

According to Father Yevhen, all the attackers were no more than 30 years old and claimed to be employees of a "security company". The raiders were hired by the head of the local "activists" of the OCU, Mykhailo Bondarenko.

Currently, cases of falsification of statutory documents are being considered in courts, and two criminal proceedings have been opened.

"We tell them: 'Wait for the court's decision.' But they don't want to," the clergyman said.

During the attack, threats were made against the priest and believers.

"I appeal to the entire Orthodox community. To the whole world. Very unpleasant things are being done to us. Not peaceful. Terrible arbitrariness. They threaten to hang, to kill us. This is what we call 'freedom of religion'," Father Yevhen Vorobiev said.

MP Artem Dmytruk reported on his Telegram channel that he is preparing deputy inquiries regarding these events.

"Particular cynicism in this situation was demonstrated by the police of Vinnytsia region! Being on the spot, seeing the commission of a crime, the attack and beating of parishioners, a priest, they simply did nothing! I know the names and surnames of the organizers of these crimes and partly the performers! I will indicate all this in my deputy inquiries! The inquiries are being prepared. No one will be able to avoid responsibility!" Dmytruk wrote.

As reported by the UOJ, on January 9, a group of raiders in military uniform broke into the territory of the church. Using construction equipment, they rammed the doors of the church, and then attacked the parishioners and clergy. During the attack by "activists" of the OCU on the Kazan church in Ladyzhyn on December 28, the rector and about 10 parishioners, including women, were injured. However, the police did not see any crimes in the assaults on the UOC church and were forced to open criminal proceedings only following a court decision. On April 2, raiders broke into the church house and beat the UOC priest and believers.