UOC: military may be involved in the killing of a monk at Svyatogorsk Lavra

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) is allowing for the possibility that Ukrainian military personnel were involved in the killing of Svyatogorsk Lavra monk Varsonofy in the Donetsk region.

This conclusion follows from a post by UOC administrator Metropolitan Anthony, published on Facebook.

Anthony pointed out that the case has been transferred to the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Defense in the Eastern Region — a body whose jurisdiction covers criminal offenses committed by military personnel.

“The fact that the case will be handled by a unit whose jurisdiction covers criminal offenses committed by military personnel itself shows who exactly the investigation is considering as possible perpetrators. The most important thing is that there be a genuine desire to investigate this crime objectively and impartially, rather than to be guided by political expediency or other ideological factors,” — Anthony wrote.

The metropolitan also drew attention to the fact that a week after the crime was committed, the investigation has not published any theories about what happened. Neither the Donetsk region police nor the said prosecutor’s office have yet commented on the killing of the monk on the lavra’s grounds.

The UOC previously reported that the monastery’s resident monk was killed with a firearm, and two other monks sustained serious injuries.

In January, a skete of Svyatogorsk Lavra was robbed by unknown individuals. A guard discovered broken gates and forced-open doors, along with tire tracks from a truck and numerous human footprints on the ground, indicating that an entire group of people had been involved.