Representatives of Territorial Defense Forces Kidnap Clergyman of Ukrainian Orthodox Church

In the Dnepropetrovsk Region of Ukraine, personnel from the Territorial Defense Forces (TDF) have reportedly detained a clergyman of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). This information was disclosed through a post on the Telegram channel "Pervyy Kazatskiy," citing sources, as reported by TASS.

According to the report, in the morning, Rostislav Kalinovsky, a priest of the Kamianske Diocese of the UOC, was apprehended by military commissars. He was subsequently taken to a military medical commission and is currently being held at the Pyatykhatky TDF office in the Dnepropetrovsk region.

This incident marks yet another case of the forcible mobilization of UOC priests.

Since February 2022, Ukraine has declared a nationwide mobilization, which has been repeatedly extended. On May 18, 2024, a law tightening the mobilization was enacted, enabling the conscription of hundreds of thousands of additional Ukrainians. Authorities are doing everything possible to prevent men of conscription age from evading service. On social media, videos of forced mobilizations frequently appear, showing military commissar employees catching men on the streets, in cafes, gyms, and other public places. There are occasional reports of men being beaten at military enlistment offices, incidents that sometimes result in fatalities.