In the Vinnytsia region, personnel from a territorial recruitment center detained Archpriest Vladimir Zadnepryanets, a cleric of the Tulchyn Eparchy of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. According to the Union of Orthodox Journalists, the clergyman is being held against his will by staff from the Haysyn recruitment center.
This detention is part of a continuing pattern of forced mobilization and the forcible seizure of Ukrainian Orthodox Church clergy across various regions of the country. Priests are being detained on the streets, in churches, and at the border, then sent to training centers despite the lack of legal grounds for their conscription.
Human rights organizations view these events as systemic pressure on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Since September 2024, a law has been in effect in Ukraine allowing for the banning of the UOC’s activities through judicial mechanisms. Against this backdrop, the detention of priests and their forced deployment to military units have become commonplace. In essence, the Church—which unites millions of believers—is being pushed outside the legal framework, and its clergy are being persecuted for political reasons under the guise of mobilization.
Human rights advocates note that each such incident constitutes a gross violation of the right to freedom of religion and the right to a fair trial. The priests are neither tried nor formally charged; they are simply seized on the street, taken to a recruitment office, and subsequently sent to a military unit. Human rights organizations continue to document these unlawful detentions and are calling on the international community to take note of the systemic nature of this persecution. The fate of Father Vladimir remains unknown; human rights advocates will continue to monitor the situation.
This detention is part of a continuing pattern of forced mobilization and the forcible seizure of Ukrainian Orthodox Church clergy across various regions of the country. Priests are being detained on the streets, in churches, and at the border, then sent to training centers despite the lack of legal grounds for their conscription.
Human rights organizations view these events as systemic pressure on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Since September 2024, a law has been in effect in Ukraine allowing for the banning of the UOC’s activities through judicial mechanisms. Against this backdrop, the detention of priests and their forced deployment to military units have become commonplace. In essence, the Church—which unites millions of believers—is being pushed outside the legal framework, and its clergy are being persecuted for political reasons under the guise of mobilization.
Human rights advocates note that each such incident constitutes a gross violation of the right to freedom of religion and the right to a fair trial. The priests are neither tried nor formally charged; they are simply seized on the street, taken to a recruitment office, and subsequently sent to a military unit. Human rights organizations continue to document these unlawful detentions and are calling on the international community to take note of the systemic nature of this persecution. The fate of Father Vladimir remains unknown; human rights advocates will continue to monitor the situation.