TCC Comments on Mobilization of UOC Church Rector in Volyn
The TCC stated that the UOC priest was mobilized due to the absence of a deferment or reservation, after which the MMC declared him fit for service.
On August 20, the Volyn Regional TCC commented on the mobilization of the rector of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church of the UOC in the village of Khvorostiv, Archimandrite Anthony (Dzhezhela), whom the diocese had previously reported as detained by military commissariat officers. This was reported by ZAXID.NET.
According to the TCC's account, on August 17 the clergyman's vehicle was stopped at a checkpoint in Lokachyn district. During the inspection, it was established that Archimandrite Anthony was not on a wanted list, but did not have a mobilization deferment or reservation.
The military commissariat claims that the priest was offered the opportunity to come to the TCC to undergo a military medical commission, and that he arrived at the territorial center on his own. On the same day, the MMC declared him fit for military service.
After that, the rector of the UOC church was sent to one of the training centers to undergo basic combined-arms training. Thus, the TCC confirmed that the reason for his mobilization was the absence of a properly issued deferment or reservation.
The Volodymyr-Volyn Diocese of the UOC reported the detention of the archimandrite by TCC officers and called on the faithful to pray for the clergyman.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that UOC advocate Archpriest Nikita Chekman urged clergymen to arrange their mobilization deferments in advance. According to him, if a cleric has legal grounds for a deferment but has not properly formalized it, he may be mobilized on general grounds, and after receiving the status of a serviceman it becomes significantly more difficult to obtain a discharge.
