Police will open the case of false beating of an ATO soldier in Zaporozhye church

On January 6, Oleg Zolotonosha, head of Zaporozhye regional police, officially commented on the events near the temple of the Holy Prince Peter and Princess Fevronia Wonderworkers of Murom of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the area of the Small Market in Zaporozhye, where the combatant had allegedly been beaten. The colonel wrote about it on his Facebook page.

"Today at 15:30 citizen Valentin Bury made a call to the police through the line 102, that a brawl was taking place in the small market area. On arrival at the place of the mentioned incident (within 7 minutes), police detachments found no one, neither the victims nor the attackers," said the head of the police chief.

According to him, at 4 pm near the temple there was an action, without any conflicts and disturbance of public order.

"Also, the police contacted the said citizen, Bury, who reported on the phone that his acquaintance had been beaten but he would not tell his name; besides, Bury said the acquaintance had a broken arm and was in hospital No. 5. (Bury apparently does not know that the doctors immediately inform the police about the facts of inflicting bodily injury)," wrote the police colonel.

According to Oleg Zolotonosha, Bury told that the victim was hidden, since he is afraid for his life, and will come to the police only two days later. For the time being he is not going to submit an application.

"Also at 17:20 there was a message that about 20 people with canisters gathered near the Holy Protection Cathedral, however, on the arrival of the police squads to the scene, the information was not confirmed. The police of the region stepped up their surveillance activity," Zolotonosha wrote.

"In addition, the issue is under consideration of opening criminal proceedings under Part 2 of Art. 383 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (a deliberately false report on the commission of a crime)," said the head of the Zaporozhye police.

Previously, known publicist, expert on religion Alexander Yermolenko called impartial statements by blogger Yury Gudimenko – ex-head of Zaporozhye branch of Svoboda party, who is actively disseminating the information about the "refusal" of the UOC priest to hold a funeral service for the child from Zaporozhye who had suffered a tragic death.