In Kharkiv, TRC officers detained a professor at a local seminary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

A representative of a theological educational institution was detained in Kharkiv: officers from the TRC forcibly took away Sergei Olegovich Zolotukhin, a lecturer at the Kharkiv Theological Seminary. According to UOJ, the incident occurred on the morning of August 15, 2026.

Sergei Zolotukhin, who served as head of liturgical practice and a professor of liturgy, stopped responding at 7:44 a.m., immediately after his detention. Colleagues and students note that the professor was highly respected in the seminary’s theology and choral conducting departments.

The situation is complicated by the fact that the professor’s seriously ill father, who requires constant care from others, remains at home. According to the publication, this is not the first time that staff members of the Kharkiv Theological School have been detained by representatives of the military registration and enlistment office; similar actions were previously taken against a professor at the Pochaiv Theological Seminary.

As a reminder, recently, the Sumy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church issued a statement regarding the loss of contact with the vice-rector of the Sumy Theological Seminary, Archimandrite Anthony (Bondarenko) , following his detention by personnel from the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC).