Sviatohirsk Lavra murder is an act of sheer brutality, says Bondarenko

The Lavra brethren carry the body of slain monk Varsonofiy. Photo: Sviatohirsk Lavra

In an interview with blogger Oleksandr Shelest, political analyst Kostiantyn Bondarenko said the murder of a monk at the Sviatohirsk Lavra was a manifestation of a sense of impunity and the brutalization brought on by war.

“This is sheer brutality. People are turning into beasts. And accordingly, in this situation, these scumbags whom they are trying to elevate to the status of heroes have come to feel that they can get away with anything. It’s like, ‘We’re alive today – maybe it’s our last day, so let’s live it up,’ so to speak. Human life has lost its value in their eyes,” Bondarenko said.

The political analyst noted that anyone in the Donetsk region who does not support the “party line” automatically becomes an enemy in the eyes of the attackers.

“These people aren’t people – they’re enemies, so wipe them out,” Bondarenko said, describing the mindset behind the attack. “You didn’t give the 'right' response to 'Glory to Ukraine' – that’s it, you get stabbed.”

He also criticized the authorities for remaining silent about the killing at the Sviatohirsk Lavra.

As the UOJ reported earlier, the attack on the brethren of the UOC’s Sviatohirsk Lavra took place at around 11:00 a.m. on August 23, 2026, near St. Nicholas Church in the upper part of the monastery. Several members of the monastic community suffered stab wounds: Monk Varsonofiy was killed, while Monk Grigory, who suffered a lung injury, and novice Andriy were hospitalized in serious condition at a hospital in Kharkiv. It was later reported that the slain monk had also suffered gunshot wounds.

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