A 24-year-old hieromonk of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was drafted into the Armed Forces of Ukraine while on his way to study in Greece

Viktor (Denisov), a 24-year-old hieromonk of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, was forcibly conscripted by officials of the Khmelnytskyi Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) while traveling to study at the University of Athens. The clergyman was removed from his flight despite having all the necessary documents, and after undergoing an expedited military medical examination, he was sent to military service.

According to and a statement by the hieromonk himself, the incident occurred on September 28, 2026. According to the priest, TRC staff justified his detention by citing the need to verify his data in the “Reserve+” system; however, the medical examination itself took only about 10 minutes. Hieromonk Victor (Denisov) claims that while he was at the TRC, he was subjected to psychological pressure and his rights were restricted; in particular, his cell phone was confiscated.

As a result of coercive actions by military registration and enlistment office staff, the hieromonk was enlisted in the 8th Regiment of the Special Operations Forces (SOF). In a statement published on social media, he emphasized that he has no intention of taking up arms, citing church canons that prohibit clergy from participating in combat operations. ““I was on my way to Greece to pursue my education, but ended up in the Ukrainian army,” the hieromonk commented on the situation.

As a reminder, an incident occurred in the Khmelnytskyi region, involving the forced mobilization of a member of the clergy. Employees of the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) mobilized Victor (Denisov), a hieromonk of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.