Priest from Kamianske forced to dig trenches in Lviv region training center

Priest Rostyslav Kalynovskyi. Photo: UOJ

Priest Rostyslav Kalynovskyi of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from Kamianske was deceitfully taken to the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) by military officials and subsequently sent to a training center in Lviv Region. His family reported this to the UOJ.

According to his relatives, because Fr. Rostyslav refused to take the military oath, he was forced to dig trenches and cut down trees.

“All of this is happening in cold and rainy weather. Father has caught a cold, has a fever and a cough. He is receiving no medical help. We managed to send him a package with some medicine, but we hope a doctor will examine him,” his family shared.

As previously reported, officials from the Kamianske TRC detained Fr. Rostyslav on June 19, 2025. On June 20, he was driven around to various military units all day, none of which agreed to take him in. Two days later, he was released.

However, on June 24, he was deceitfully summoned to the TRC again under the pretense of “collecting documents” and was soon taken to one of the military units. His relatives said that the military authorities were trying to force him to sign a contract and threatened him with up to 10 years in prison for refusing to take the military oath.

Read also