The Russian military continues to seize houses in Melitopol. Thus, the invaders occupied the church – they broke into the building and announced the "nationalization" of the church.
This is reported by the local newspaper RIA-Melitopol.
Armed invaders broke into the Church of Evangelical Christians "Grace" in Melitopol on September 11. At that time, a service was being held in the church.
The Russian military copied the passport data of parishioners and accused them of "connection with the United States." After that, the invaders announced that the church would be "nationalized".
Parishioners and clergy were kicked out of the church and told not to come there again.
This is not the first case of the seizure of a church in Melitopol. Earlier, the invaders occupied the building of the New Generation Church.
The media inform.zp.ua reports, however, that two pastors were arrested.
"During the morning service, the rashists came to the church. They took out all the women and children, and the men were fingerprinted, photographed, and collected documents.
Two pastors of the church were arrested by the invaders. The chief pastor of the church, Mikhailo Britsyn, ended up in a rashist prison.
Since the beginning of the occupation, the church has been providing humanitarian assistance to local residents and people who were evacuated from Mariupol," the report says.