Denomination of cleric who "ordained" draft dodger for bribe becomes known

For bribery, the cleric of the OCU Volodymyr Kravchuk faces up to eight years in prison with confiscation of property. Photo: zaxid.net

In Volyn, law enforcement officers exposed a 45-year-old cleric of the OCU, who promised to "ordain" a conscript as a deacon for $10,000 so that he would receive a deferment from mobilization and be excluded from the "Obereh" registry. According to ZAXID.NET, citing its own sources, it concerns the rector of Apostles Peter and Paul's Church in the village of Voshchatyn, Volodymyr district, Volodymyr Kravchuk.

He has held the position of rector since July 24, 2025, and belongs to the Volodymyr-Volyn Eparchy of the OCU.

According to the investigation, the clergyman offered the client to purchase appropriate church attire and study certain biblical texts to make the fictitious "ordination" appear credible.

Part of the amount – 80,000 hryvnias – was received on a bank card, and the remaining 8,000 dollars – in cash during a personal meeting. After the entire amount was transferred, the suspect was detained. Searches were conducted in his house and car, and communication devices, bank cards, and other material evidence were seized.

The cleric of Dumenko's structure was charged under part 3 of article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (receiving undue benefit for influencing officials, combined with extortion). The article's sanction provides for up to eight years of imprisonment with confiscation of property. During the investigation, Kravchuk is under night house arrest.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that, according to Yelensky, to avoid mobilization, UOC clerics need to change their denomination.

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