A priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who went missing after contacting the SBU was assigned to a military unit

Father Andriy Denisenko, a mobilized priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church whose whereabouts remained unknown after he spoke with officials from the Security Service of Ukraine, has gotten in touch with his family. The priest confirmed that he is at a military base and is doing well. This was reported by Archpriest Nikita Chekman, a lawyer for the UOC.

According to information provided by the UOC’s attorney, Archpriest Nikita Chekman, on August 14, 2026, Father Andrei informed his family that he had been taken away from the training ground by SBU representatives. The priest confirmed that he had been interrogated but assured them that, at this time, neither his life nor his health is in danger. He expressed his deep gratitude to everyone who provided prayerful and informational support to his family during the period of his disappearance.

As a reminder, contact with Father Andrei was lost on July 26. Lawyers for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church immediately initiated legal proceedings to determine the cleric’s whereabouts and protect his rights. Earlier, on June 25, 2026, the priest was detained by patrol police and sent to the Territorial Center for Recruitment, after which he was transferred to the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade for training.