In Kremenchuk, TRC officers forcibly detained a deacon of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Viktor Dudnichenko, protodeacon of the Holy Dormition Cathedral of the Kremenchuk Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, was forcibly conscripted by employees of the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC). During the incident, the clergyman was physically assaulted, resulting in injuries. As reported by the press service of the Kremenchug Diocese of the UOC states that the incident occurred on September 21, 2026.

According to the information received, the clergyman was detained near his home. TRC officers used tear gas against Protodeacon Viktor Dudnichenko, after which they forcibly took him onto a bus. According to eyewitness accounts and information from the diocese, during the detention, the clergyman’s chest was compressed, causing rib injuries. While at the recruitment center and during his medical examination, the protodeacon’s complaints of pain in his ribs and heart were ignored.

The victim’s communication devices were confiscated, depriving him of the opportunity to consult with a lawyer or notify his family of what had happened. On September 23, 2026, the clergyman was transferred to a military unit in the Chernihiv region, where he currently remains. At this time, there is no contact with him.

As a reminder, we recently reported that in Volodymyr-Volynskyi, TRC officers beat and detained a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.