Volyn TRC comments on abduction of UOC priest in Lutsk

The abduction of a priest in Lutsk. Photo: Pershyi Kozatskyi

The Volyn Regional Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) has commented on the abduction of Archpriest Ioann Kuzminskyi, rector of a UOC parish in Lutsk. Officials said the priest has already been sent to a training center to undergo basic military training, according to Volyn News Service.

The TRC claims that on July 23, 2026, when the priest saw a patrol consisting of military personnel and a police officer, he allegedly began to run away and attempted to hide in a store.

According to the military authorities, during the encounter Father Ioann refused to provide his personal details, behaved aggressively, and attempted to leave the scene. They say this was the reason he was "escorted" into a service vehicle. The TRC also complained that passersby used "physical force" in an attempt to interfere with the servicemen's actions.

The TRC further stated that later the same day Archpriest Ioann underwent a military medical examination, which found him fit for military service. Immediately afterward, he was sent to a Ukrainian Armed Forces training center to begin basic military training.

Earlier, UOC lawyer Archpriest Mykyta Chekman reported that attorneys had filed complaints with the State Bureau of Investigation and the police over the alleged abduction. The Ombudsman's Office in the Volyn Region has also launched an inquiry into the incident after videos emerged showing the man being carried out of a building by his arms and legs. According to parishioners and eyewitnesses, the priest may have sustained bodily injuries during the forcible detention.

As previously reported by the UOJ, the TRC claimed that a detained UOC deacon with many children had volunteered to serve.

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