A criminal case opened over the beating of UOC believers in Ladyzhyn

One of the temple invaders in Ladyzhyn. Photo: screenshot of the Pershy Kozatsky Telegram channel's video

A criminal case has been initiated regarding the assault on the clergy and parishioners of the Kazan Church of the UOC in Ladyzhyn of Vinnytsia Eparchy, according to Part 2 of Article 296 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (hooliganism), reported MP Artem Dmytruk in his Telegram channel. The deputy received a response from the police to his parliamentary inquiry and demand to hold accountable "all the bandits who attacked people with the permission of the police."

Dmytruk wrote that law enforcement officers have begun an official inquiry into the fact of police officers' failure to fulfill their duties, as, according to the MP's information, the police officers did not act during the attack on the UOC parishioners. In addition, within the framework of the pre-trial investigation, the involvement of security guards from the "Oleksandr Garant-Group" security firm in the assault on people will be established.

"The law enforcement officers also informed that at the moment pre-trial investigations are underway in 3 criminal cases related to this church – forgery of documents by raiders of the OCU for state registration, self-government, and forgery of documents, sale, or their use," the deputy wrote.

As the UOJ reported, on April 2, about 30 militants broke into the territory of the church house in Ladizhin and attacked the rector and parishioners of the UOC community in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The hired OCU militants blocked the entrances and threatened Orthodox Christians with murder. "All of them are active employees of the 'Oleksandr Garant-Group' security firm. This company operates in Vinnytsia, where it is actually registered. The owner of the firm is Oleksandr Medonchak," wrote Dmytruk.

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