In Bila Tserkva an attempt was made on a man because of the greeting "Christ is Risen!"

In the city of Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region, two young men made an attempted murder of a 35-year-old local resident. The reason for the attack was the traditional Easter greeting “Christ is risen!”, which caused aggression on the part of adherents of another religion. This was reported in Bila Tserkva District Prosecutor’s Office.

The incident occurred on the night of Bright Monday. According to the investigation, the victim entered one of the local establishments and addressed the attendees with a Christian greeting. This angered the 19-year-old visitor, leading to a conflict. The 19-year-old subsequently called his 23-year-old acquaintance, who brought a knife to the scene. The perpetrators tracked the man down, knocked him to the ground and stabbed him several times in the neck and stomach area. After deciding that the victim was not showing signs of life, the attackers fled.

Thanks to timely medical intervention, the victim’s life was saved and he remains in hospital. The Bila Tserkva District Prosecutor’s Office reported that the detainees were suspected of attempted premeditated murder, committed by prior conspiracy and on the grounds of religious intolerance. The court elected the defendants a measure of restraint in the form of detention without the right to bail.

The head of the Kiev regional prosecutor’s office, Dmytro Prokudin, emphasized that religion cannot be an excuse for violence. If proven guilty, the detainees face life imprisonment under part 2 of Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.