In Kyiv, a murderer of UOC priest sentenced to 15 years in prison (updated)

Illustrative photo: cdnuploads

The Obolon court sentenced a 50-year-old Kyivan to 15 years in prison for intentional murder for mercenary motives, conspiracy by a group of persons, and robbery of a clergyman from one of the Orthodox churches in Kyiv. This was reported by the press service of the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office on June 20, 2024.

The incident occurred in 2015 in the Obolon district of the capital, where two masked assailants shot the priest in the head, leading to his death.

According to the Information and Education Department of the UOC, the victim, Fr Roman Nikolaev, was the rector of St. Tatiana’s Church in the Obolon district.

It is noted that prosecutors in court have proven that in the summer of 2015 in the Obolon district of Kyiv, two men wearing balaclavas shot a clergyman twice in the stairwell of a building. Afterward, they took his phone and apartment keys and entered his residence with a pre-prepared bag. The attackers believed that the priest kept a significant amount of money in his apartment because he was constructing a church. They choked the wounded man, demanding information about the money. Failing to find any money and frightened by neighbors, they fled the scene.

On the same day, the victim was taken to an emergency hospital where he died three days later as a result of a gunshot wound to the head.

“During the investigation, a witness passing by the scene testified seeing the accused throwing away a balaclava near a neighbouring building, which was later recovered by law enforcement. DNA evidence from the balaclava matched the accused, who was apprehended in 2019 following another crime,” the message says

The Obolon Court sentenced the defendant to 15 years imprisonment with property confiscation. He was taken into custody immediately after the court's ruling. The materials on his accomplice were separated into another case.

As reported, in Dagestan, militants fired upon a synagogue and two churches, resulting in the death of a priest.

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