Mobilized UOC priest accused of desertion for refusing to take up arms

A scandal is developing in Ukraine around the mobilization of clergymen: UOC cleric Archpriest Vitaly Agafonov from Nikopol is in custody on charges of desertion. He refused to serve as a sniper, citing his inability to take up arms for reasons of conscience and the canons of the Church. His lawyers have appealed to the public for help in collecting bail.

Itis reported that Archpriest Vitaly Agafonov, cleric of the Transfiguration Cathedral of Nikopol in the Kryvyi Rih diocese of the UOC, was mobilized into the Ukrainian Armed Forces in November last year. He was assigned the position of a rifle-sniper, which caused a deep internal conflict for the clergyman.

“Father Vitaly’s priestly conscience did not allow him to take up arms, which forced him to leave his place of service,” the lawyers call the reason why the priest was forced to leave the military unit. As a result of these actions, he was detained and is now in the brig, accused of desertion.

Despite the seriousness of the accusation under martial law, the court chose a measure of restraint for Father Vitaly in the form of bail in the amount of 266,240 hryvnias. The lawyers emphasize that such a decision is an “extremely rare phenomenon” for this article in the current conditions, and call to take advantage of this opportunity to release the priest.

However, for the family of Archpriest Vitaly Agafonov the mentioned sum turned out to be unaffordable. In this regard, the Law Office of Archpriest Nikita Chekman has issued an appeal to the faithful, calling for financial assistance to pay the bail, as well as to support Fr. Vitaly with prayer and dissemination of information about his plight.

The lawyers also emphasize a systemic problem faced by clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. According to church canons, they have no right to take up arms. Nevertheless, as the lawyers point out, at present the UOC priests are actually deprived of the opportunity to serve as military chaplains or to receive a statutory deferment from mobilization.

We will remind, in Kiev, employees of the Territorial Center for Manning (TCC) detained Archimandrite Raphael (Mosunov), a teacher of the Kiev Theological Academy and Seminary (KDAiS).

The following details have been provided for those wishing to help raise funds for the bail: 🔗Bank link: https://send.monobank.ua/jar/4M5YvqvnYU, 💳Bank card number: 4874 1000 2539 1619.