Forced mobilization of priests in Ukraine continues

Involvement of clergy involuntarily conscripted into military service continues in Ukraine, despite legal grounds for deferment. The latest incident was the detention of Father Kostyantyn Volovoy, a priest of the Cherkasy Diocese of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

According to reports, officers at the Smila Territorial Recruitment Center took the priest to the military registration and enlistment office, despite his legal right to a deferment as the father of five minor children. Father Kostyantyn's family provided the necessary documents, but military registration and enlistment office representatives refused to accept them and did not contact the family.

This is not the first such action against clergy. Previously, Father Oleksiy Lukash, rector of the Church of the New Martyrs of Cherkasy, was detained during a service in the Cherkasy region. According to parishioners, the military prevented him from completing the service and properly handing over the Holy Gifts, after which he was taken to a temporary accommodation facility, ignoring his medical contraindications. Since his arrest, contact with Father Alexei has been lost.

Human rights organizations note that such incidents violate both Ukrainian national legislation and international norms protecting the rights of believers. Of particular concern is the fact that forced mobilization is being carried out against individuals who have clear legal grounds for deferment, which may indicate systemic problems in the practice of mobilization measures.