DPR-inspired attacker of the UOC-MP under trial in Zaporizhia

24.11.2021, 09:42
Community
DPR-inspired attacker of the UOC-MP under trial in Zaporizhia - фото 1
The Leninsky District Court of Zaporizhia has sentenced a local resident to seven years in prison for preparing a terrorist attack on the UOC-MP in Zaporizhia in the winter of 2019.

This is reported by Glavkom with reference to the verdict of October 18.

According to the pre-trial investigation, in early February 2019, the accused was contacted by a "DPR" militant. For a monetary reward, he offered to stage attacks on the Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine by the laity of the newly created Orthodox Church of Ukraine. In addition, the terrorist set a mandatory condition: he is ready to pay 30 thousand UAH if the footage of the attack on a religious building is made public in the media. After that, the accused agreed.

To complete the task, the accomplice of the terrorist found two friends who agreed to set fire to the Church of the Apostle John the theologian of the Diocese of Zaporizhia, the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate (Zaporizhya, Tovaryska Street, 76) for UAH 15 thousand. The day before the crime, the accused gave them a deposit in the amount of UAH 280.

DPR-inspired attacker of the UOC-MP under trial in Zaporizhia - фото 82894

The Church of the Moscow church in Zaporizhia, which was planned to be set on fire.

On the night of February 16, 2019, both performers arrived at the temple building. By prior agreement, they had to pour gasoline on the wall of the church and set it on fire, make a video and send this video file to the accused. However, one of the performers changed his mind at the last moment to set fire to the temple. Instead, he found a rag in a vacant lot, wrapped it around a branch, thus making a torch, set it on fire and made a video of it burning against the background of the church wall. After that, both performers were exposed by the SBU officers.

During the interrogation in court, the accused pleaded not guilty. He confirmed that a friend called him and asked him to simulate the arson of a church for reward. Then the man came out to two friends who agreed to fulfill his request. He also confirmed that his friend (a militant of the "DPR" – Ed.) transferred $500 and UAH 2 thousand to the card of another person for the implementation of a plan to simulate arson. Therefore, the accused asked the court to acquit him, because the church was not damaged.

His accomplices in court said that the agreement was to set fire to the Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. They added that the choice of the Church of the Moscow Patriarchate was caused by the fact that it was an urgent issue at that time in connection with the provision of the Tomos to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

In addition, the court questioned the ex-wife of a "DPR" militant who was behind the specified Organization of the arson of a church in Zaporizhia. According to her, her ex-husband lives in the Donetsk region and serves in the ranks of the "DPR".

The court concluded that the guilt of the accused is proven. Consequently, by his actions, he committed a complete attempt to organize the commission of a terrorist act, which created a danger of causing significant property damage in order to violate public safety, intimidate the population, committed by prior agreement by a group of persons.

The court also remanded the accused in custody until the verdict came into force.