Ukrainian Bishop from Crimea, serving in the army, attacked in kyiv

Metropolitan Clement of Crimea and Simferopol of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, who is currently serving in the armed forces, was beaten by unknown assailants in kyiv on September 10, a church official in Suspilne confirmed.

Kliment visited Kiev for the fourth summit of the Crimean Platform, an international consultation and coordination format aimed at ensuring the liberation of the peninsula from Russian occupation.

According to reports, the bishop was heading to St. Michael’s Monastery in central kyiv when he was stopped by three people around 11 p.m. who physically attacked him.

Journalist Andrii Tsaplienko shared a photo of Kliment, showing his face covered in bruises and blood after the attack. The first information about the incident was later confirmed to the media by Andrii Shchekun, an official of the Crimean diocese of the OCU.

Kliment believes it was a premeditated and carefully planned attack because it took place out of sight of surveillance cameras.

The National Police said it was investigating the incident and that “an investigative and operational group has been dispatched to speak to the victim and establish all the circumstances.”

Police sources confirmed to Ukrinform that a high-ranking church official was attacked near St. Michael’s Monastery. They did not confirm Kliment’s claims that it was a premeditated attack.

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) is facing severe repression by Russian authorities in occupied Crimea, with priests forced to leave and church premises confiscated. Moscow illegally took control of the peninsula in 2014.

In April, religious experts told the Kyiv Independent newspaper that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church had virtually ceased to exist in Crimea. Russia has cracked down on several independent religious organizations in the occupied territories, instead favoring the Russian Orthodox Church and its local branch, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Ukraine recently passed a law banning religious organizations subordinate to the Russian Church.

Metropolitan of Crimea and Simferopol since 2013, Kliment is a staunch defender of the rights of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians on the occupied peninsula.

Read also: Faith Under Fire: Russia’s War on Religion in Occupied Ukraine

We work hard to bring you independent, local news from Ukraine. Please consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.