Combat medic's cell phone seized for her UOC support: no contact with family

Awarding Larysa Zburliuk with the 1st degree medal "Distinction of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine". Photo: Chernivtsi RSA

On April 11, 2024, it became known that the chief editor of "Left Bank" Sonia Koshkina was fined for libel against Bishop Nikita of Ivano-Frankivsk. A combat medic, junior sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Larysa Zburliuk, reacted to this information on her Facebook page, but in the end her phone was confiscated from her for supporting the UOC bishop.

In particular, Larysa Zburliuk noted that the notorious editor never apologised to the bishop, the minor, who was accused on a made-up basis, or his parents. She said that the boy eventually had to leave abroad because of the bullying and harassment he would have to suffer following the public outcry.

"By the way, Koshkina's 'feat' was highly appreciated by the OCU leadership, especially her 'comrade-in-arms' Epifaniy Dumenko. I hope their friendship is as genuine and courageous as Sonia herself and her allegations," concluded the combat medic in her post.

"Larysa Zburliuk, a combat medic, was illegally deprived of her mobile phone, the only means of communication with her children, persecuted by law enforcement agencies for defending Bishop Nikita. While defending mother Ukraine in the trenches, she was deprived of the opportunity to speak to her children, letting them know she's alive," the message reads.

As the UOJ reported, the military medic commented on the arrest of the UOC priest who had been assisting the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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