Parishioners Seek Answers After Priest’s Detention
An Orthodox priest was detained by recruitment officers in Kyiv while traveling to Vigil, prompting concern among parishioners.
KYIV, UKRAINE — As reported by the UOJ-Ukraine, on January 28, 2026, Archpriest Oleksandr Itsenko, a cleric of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) serving at St. Cyril Monastery, was detained by draft officers in the capital, according to information received by the Union of Orthodox Journalists.
UOJ sources report that Fr. Oleksandr was not listed as wanted and was carrying valid priestly identification at the time of his detention. Despite this, Territorial Recruitment Center officers reportedly told him that his records “needed to be updated” and took him to a nearby center.
Witnesses say the clergyman was stopped while traveling to the all-night vigil, placed into a minibus, and transported in an unknown direction. Parishioners say they have been unable to obtain information about his whereabouts since the incident.
Members of the monastery community have appealed to believers for prayers and assistance in spreading information, noting that Archpriest Oleksandr, as a clergyman, cannot bear arms.
Previously, the UOJ reported that the Territorial Recruitment Center detained a UOC priest who serves two village parishes.
