In the Chernivtsi region, law enforcement officials went to a monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, but parishioners did not allow them inside

In the Chernivtsi region, law enforcement officers visited the Voznesensky Banchensky Monastery, which belongs to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Priests and parishioners did not allow them inside because the purpose of their visit was not specified, and they did not provide any documents authorizing the inspection of the church.

One of the priests reported this incident, stating, “These Russians came with guns to kill us.”

According to Metropolitan Longin (secular name: Mikhail Zhar), a leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, representatives of the Ukrainian Security Service and military personnel visited the monastery. He also mentioned that he has ten sons serving on the front lines, and four of them have returned home as disabled veterans.

Metropolitan Longin was honored with the title of Hero of Ukraine in 2008 for adopting over 400 orphans with developmental disabilities.