UKRAINIAN STATE BORDER SERVICE ARRESTS UPTsMP PRIEST AT CHECKPOINT
Ukrainian border troops arrested at a checkpoint in Donetsk province a Ukrainian citizen who is suspected of involvement in illegal armed formations. He turned out to be a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchate, the Ukrainian State Border Service reports on Wednesday.
As the press service of the border agency reports, at the "Bugas" entry/exit control point which is in Donetsk province, a border guard discovered and arrested a Ukrainian citizen who "was involved in activity of illegal armed formations."
"The man was traveling into temporarily uncontrolled territory. At the verification of documents he hastily presented documents confirming his membership in terrorist organizations. In particular, he presented certification issued by the so-called "ministry of state security" of illegal armed formations which indicates his membership in the "Vostok" battalion. In addition, as it turned out, the person is a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchate" the report says.
In April of last year, Ukrainian authorities
began in the Donbass a military operation against residents of the
region who were displeased with the governmental revolution.
According to the latest data of the United Nations, there have
been about 6,800 persons killed in the conflict. The question of
settling the situation in the Donbass has been discussed in the
course of meetings in Minsk of a contact group, which in September
of last year adopted three documents regulating the steps for a
de-escalation of the conflict. (tr. by PDS, posted 12 August 2015)
Religiia v Ukraine, 12 August 2015
The Ukrainian State Border Service reported the arrest of a member of illegal armed formations in the east of the country, who is at the same time a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow patriarchate), Religiia v Ukraine reports, citing Radio Liberty.
At the "Bugas" checkpoint in Donetsk province, a man traveling to territory occupied by militants was in such a hurry that he presented for verification the "wrong" documents, the border service report says.
According to personnel of the border service, the documents presented confirmed his "membership in terrorist organizations;" in particular, the certification issued by the "ministry of state security of the DPR," which is considered in Ukraine to be terrorist, identified the person as a priest of the "Vostok" battalion.
Now an investigation with respect to the detainee is continuing, the border personnel reported.
We recall that last year a priest of the UPTs turned out to be commander of a squad of militants in the Luhansk area. Recently, a former resident of an orphanage described how he helped a UPTs monastery furnished arms for Donetsk separatists. (tr. by PDS, posted 12 August 2015)
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