"He wanted it himself!": The Volyn Regional Recruitment Center offered a unique explanation for the forced mobilization of a deacon from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who has many children

A high-profile case occurred in Lutsk involving the mobilization of Deacon Andriy Virny, a deacon at the Church of the Three Saints of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who is the father of three children and is eligible for a deferment. The Volyn Regional Center for Recruitment and Social Support stated that the clergyman allegedly did not exercise his right to a deferment and voluntarily agreed to undergo the necessary procedures, after which he expressed a desire to serve in a unit specializing in unmanned aerial systems.

According to VSN, information about the clergyman’s mobilization appeared on local social media. The individual in question is Andriy Virny, a deacon at the Church of the Three Saints of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It was noted that he has three children, which may entitle him to an official deferment from conscription.

Journalists from the publication reached out to the press service of the Volyn Regional Military Commissariat and the Joint Staff for comment. The agency reported that the incident occurred on Saturday, June 13, at one of the checkpoints near Lutsk. There, police officers, together with military personnel from the Territorial Recruitment Center, stopped a citizen to check his military registration documents.

According to the Volyn Territorial Recruitment Center and Military Registration Office, the check revealed that the man was subject to conscription and had not exercised his right to a deferment. He was asked to report to the territorial recruitment center to verify his information and undergo a military medical examination. The agency claims that he voluntarily agreed to this.

The Territorial Recruitment Center also stated that during his stay at the center, the deacon calmly underwent all necessary procedures and allegedly expressed a desire to serve in the unmanned systems battalion of one of the military units. According to the agency, his assignment to this unit took place solely at his own request.

As a reminder, on June 13, 2026, employees of the Territorial Recruitment Center detained Andriy Virny, a deacon at the Church of the Three Saints of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. According to his relatives, the clergyman has a valid official deferment from mobilization as the father of three children; however, he was detained at the Territorial Recruitment Center and later sent to a military training ground for basic training. There are also reports of insults directed at the deacon and his wife because of their affiliation with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.