“Nevilnyy Krym” (Unfree Crimea) reveals evidence of cooperation between the UOC-MP priests in Crimea, the occupation authorities and the army

"Unfree Crimea" lists the facts of cooperation between the clergy of the UOC-MP and Russian aggressors.

So, on December 1 in occupied Sevastopol commemorative events were held dedicated to the 166th anniversary of the competition between the troops of the Russian Empire under the command of Pavel Nakhimov and the Turkish Squadron near Sinop. The" leadership" of the city, the leaders of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation, cadets, cadets and others laid flowers at the monument to Nakhimov. The event was attended by Archpriest Igor Tyshkevych, rector of the Church of St. Michael the Archangel.

On the same day in the formation of surface ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation in occupied Sevastopol before the start of the school year, a traditional rally was held, which was attended by the deputy commander of the Fleet, Vice Admiral Arkady Romanov, together with veterans of the unit. During military-political training, the next speakers after Romanov to appeal to the sailors were archpriest Alexander Bondarenko, who is the "assistant commander of the unit": priest of the Deanery of Sevastopol of the UOC-MP recalled the "heroic past" of the Black Sea Fleet and paid attention to the tasks of the Armed Forces of the occupying state in matters of "security of the country", and also focused the attention of occupation officers on spiritual security and the principles of personnel management using a religious component. After the speech Bondarenko led a prayer service on the drill ground and sprinkled the occupation servicemen with holy water, calling on them God's blessing in the new academic year and "military affairs".

Also, a rally on the occasion of the beginning of the winter training period was held on December 1 in the coastal defense brigade: during the event "Assistant to the head of the Department for labor with faithful servicemen", archpriest of the Sevastopol Deanery of the UOC-MP Vasily Gumarov congratulated the occupation soldiers and he wished them "God's help in military service for the benefit of the Motherland."

On the occasion of the beginning of the winter training period on December 1 in the 318th separate mixed Aviation Regiment of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation, archpriest Sergiy Vovk, rector of the Church of St. Andrew the First-Called in the village of Kacha, delivered his welcoming speech and wished the occupation military personnel "do not rest on their laurels, improve their skills and pass on their experience to the young shift."

In the morning of December 1, before the solemn roll call at the festivity on the occasion of the beginning of the winter training period in the Marine Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation, "Assistant Brigade Commander for work with religious servicemen", priest Mykhailo Hrytsai led a prayer service in the military Church in honor of Prince Alexander Nevsky with the participation of the brigade command and soldiers to remember St Alexander Nevsky, who is considered the patron saint of the Marines in the Russian Orthodox Church. Thereafter, the priest congratulated the occupation soldiers on the start of the training period, wished them success in combat training and strong military friendship, and blessed them for "military service to the Homeland".

On December 3, a "military-patriotic activity" was held at the Sevastopol railway station on the occasion of the illegal sending of Sevastopol "recruits" called up to the troops of the occupying state in October-December 2021 to the places of "military service". With the blessing of the dean of the Sevastopol District of the UOC-MP Serhiy Khalyuta, archpriest Alexey Latushko, rector of the Church of St. Theodosius of Chernihiv, celebrated a short prayer service on "a good cause", wished the illegally mobilized guys a "responsible attitude to military service" and sprinkled them with holy water.

On December 4, after the Divine Liturgy and a festive prayer service in the church monument in honor of St. Nicholas at the Fraternal Cemetery of Sevastopol, the rector of the church, mitred archpriest George Polyakov led a thanksgiving service for employees of the occupiers' "separate Border Guard Corps", after which he presented them with memorable gifts and invited them to a festive meal. The website of the Deanery of Sevastopol of the UOC-MP noted that on this day, the day of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, prayers are being lifted in Russia for the health of border defenders: this tradition was started by the authorities of the Russian Empire at the end of the XIX century.

On December 6, a small temple holiday was celebrated in the Church of St Alexander Nevsky on the territory of the 810th separate marine brigade of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation in occupied Sevastopol. The solemn service was led by the church rector, Assistant Brigade Commander for work with religious servicemen", priest Mykhailo Hrytsai, in concelebration with two other "military priests of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation" from the Deanery of Sevastopol of the UOC-MP: archpriest Oleksandr Bondarenko and priest Arkady Boyarkin: during the festive liturgy, the clergy of the Deanery of Sevastopol of the UOC-MP prayed for the "Christ-loving Russian army". After the service, Mykhailo Hrytsai held a conversation in the church with the "young newbies of the brigade".

On the same day, the newbies of the separate order of Zhukov of the Marine Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation took part in the ceremony of taking the military oath of allegiance to the occupying state, which was attended by priest Mykhailo Hrytsai. After a short prayer service "at the beginning of a good cause" and sprinkling holy water on the occupation soldiers and recruits, the priest said the words of instruction to them, in which he called military service "an honorable duty of every man." After that, a meeting with the parents and relatives of the soldiers was held at the brigade club, during which Mykhailo Hrytsai spoke about the goals and objectives of the military priest.