A priest in Ukraine has been caught up in a scandal after being “caught in bed with a minor” amid claims he was set up due to the church’s links to Russia.
Archimandrite Nikita posted a video message on social media in which he claimed that agents from the SBU (the Ukrainian security service) undressed and photographed everyone who was in his consistory at the time of a search.
It comes as Ukrainian forces raid church premises amid suggestions priests are promoting pro-Russian views.
Nikita said: “Those of us in the diocese were awakened from our sleep, taken from our cells, put against the wall, stripped and apparently photographed.”
Romania Posts English reports him as adding: “And then, of course, all kinds of obscene details were added…” alleging that the priests were threatened with being shot. Nikita mentioned that he was not afraid of “shootings and death”.
Reacting to the allegations, Archimandrite Nikita. said: “The Lord is the judge of all, if they have evidence, let them prove.”
After the Russian Orthodox Church expressed its support for the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine, 6,000 Ukrainian parishes decided to separate from Moscow, but some remained dependent on Russia.
