IN MELITOPOL (UKRAINE) INVADERS ABDUCTED "WORD OF LIFE" BISHOP DMITRY BOD
On 19 March, in Melitopol, Russian occupiers abducted the protestant bishop of the "Word of Life" church, Dmitry Bod, the Christian megaportal inVictory reports, citing ria-m.tv. As inform.zp.ua notes, the invaders did not like the pro-Ukrainian position of the clergyman.
"In the morning of 19 March, armed personnel arrived at his house and politely asked him to go with them. Along the way they dropped in at the building of a church, seized charter documents of the church, and collected all cell phones of those who were in the building, and they took Dmitry off to an unknown destination. Yesterday morning Russian soldiers again arrived at his home and asked for a sleeping bag and a Bible and said that Dmitry may be released in a couple of days. They also arrived later at the church building and announced that it was forbidden to conduct worship services in the church building," Andrei B. reported.
During the occupation of a number of cities, the enemy is conducting terror of the local population. Their methods of pressure repeat the worst practices from the 20th century. The local population is suffering from terror, especially those who speak out in support of Ukraine or participate in pro-Ukrainian actions.
Kidnapping of politicians and activists in occupied cities is a widespread practice. The aggressor pursues those who may be potential leaders of opinion and have influence on a certain group of people. Therefore religious leaders also are falling under repression (and primarily all those who have an active civic position).
Every day there appear new reports about the kidnapping of mayors, leaders of associated territorial communities, and heads of public organizations. In some cases these precedents end rather positively (for example, the release of Melitopol mayor Ivan Fedorov and other officials who have been exchanged for Russian prisoners), although the fate of dozens of abducted people throughout Ukraine is still unknown. Also as of today there is no information about where Dmitry Bod is being held and in what conditions.
We call everybody to prayer for him and for all persons abducted by terrorists. May the uncertainty and ignorance about their subsequent fate give way to the joy of the reunification of families and their return alive and unharmed, and may Ukraine get immediate release from the Russian terror. (tr. by PDS, posted 21 March 2022)
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