In Khmelnytskyi, draft officers forcibly mobilized a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC)

In Khmelnytskyi, staff from the Territorial Recruitment Center and Social Support Office (TCC and SS) forcibly mobilized a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), Archpriest Maksym Moskalchuk, the rector of the Holy Protection Church in the village of Redvyntsi, Khmelnytskyi district. He was allegedly abducted and taken to an unknown location.

This was reported by the Telegram channel of the Khmelnytskyi Eparchy of the UOC.

According to the eparchy, Father Maksym was taken on the morning of January 28 while on his way to work. His phone was taken from him by force, and he was driven against his will to the Khmelnytskyi city TCC. The archpriest agreed to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine but refused to take up weapons, since his priestly rank forbids it. After that, he was put on a bus and taken in an unknown direction. The post says there has been no contact with him.

“Under international law and conventions, a clergyman cannot be drafted into the army and, all the more so, has no right to take up weapons. This is not only a violation of human rights, but also a грубое (gross) disregard for the spiritual mission a pastor carries,” the eparchy said.

Forcible mobilization of UOC clergy has long been not uncommon in Ukraine. For example, in the summer in the Ternopil region, during a religious procession to the Pochaiv Lavra, TCC staff mobilized a UOC priest who is a father of many children.