Reports Claim UOC Priest Detained by Military Recruitment Officials in Kirovohrad Region

LUPOLOVO, UKRAINE — In comments made to UOJ-Ukraine, parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) say military recruitment officials detained the rector of a parish in the village of Lupolovo, leaving his current whereabouts unknown.

According to parishioners, Archpriest Maksym Tsarenko was taken by officers from Ukraine's Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) near a local hospital, where he had reportedly been undergoing medical treatment. They said the priest briefly informed others that he had been taken before all contact with him was lost.

Members of the parish have appealed for assistance, stating that Fr. Maksym suffers from serious health problems and was receiving treatment at the time of the reported detention. As of the latest reports, parishioners say they have received no information regarding his condition or location.

"Today, near the hospital, the TRC abducted our priest," comments received by UOJ-Ukraine state. "The rector in the village of Lupolovo, Kirovohrad region, Tsarenko Maksym Hryhoryevych. Please help save him! He is very ill and was receiving treatment. He wrote that he had been taken away, and now he cannot be reached."

Previously, the UOJ reported that Abp. Sylvester of Bilogorodsky has published a detailed reflection on the mobilization of clergy under martial law, addressing both legal and canonical dimensions of the issue.