Orthodox priest handed 4-year restricted freedom sentence.

Officials in Russian-occupied Luhansk Region freed Fr Feognost (Pushkov) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) on 4 October after pre-trial detention he called "107 days of hell". After house searches and examination of his writings and electronic devices, a court convicted him of "large-scale" drug trading after finding a small amount of cannabis. His 4-year restricted freedom sentence came into force after the prosecutor chose not to appeal. On 14 November, Moscow's First Appeal Court hears the appeal by another UOC priest Kostiantyn Maksimov against a 14-year strict-regime jail term on "espionage" charges.

On 16 September, a Russian-controlled court in Ukraine's occupied Luhansk Region handed 45-year-old Fr Feognost (Pushkov) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) a four-year restricted freedom sentence. The prosecutor had demanded a four-year jail term, but did not appeal against the sentence. The priest was freed on 4 October after what he called "107 days of hell" when the sentence entered legal force. His movements are now restricted and he must report regularly.

During Fr Feognost's more than three-month pre-trial detention, the health of his elderly mother – for whom he was the sole carer – deteriorated considerably in hospital.

Fr Feognost posted frequently on social media about Orthodox liturgy and history, as well as about current events in the Orthodox Church and more broadly. In 2023, occupation prosecutors brought administrative charges against him after the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) had disliked a video he had posted on YouTube in 2022 discussing how his views on patriotism based on Christian principles differed from those of three pro-war Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) priests.

It emerged in autumn 2024 that investigators had found a small quantity of cannabis in Fr Feognost's home. It is believed he had the cannabis to try to calm his nerves. It appears that after numerous house searches and examination of Fr Feognost's writings and electronic devices, prosecutors chose to use this as the way to prosecute him.

Judge Oksana Shmatko found Fr Feognost guilty under Russian Criminal Code Article 228, Part 2 ("Illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, production, processing of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues" on a "large scale"). Forum 18 was unable to reach Markivka District Court or the prosecutor.

Judge Pavel Melekhin of the First Appeal Court in Moscow is due to hear the appeal by 41-year-old Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) priest Fr Kostiantyn Maksimov on 14 November. He lodged an appeal against his conviction and long jail sentence on "espionage" charges. "This is a secret case and the appeal hearing will be closed," Judge Melekhin's assistant told Forum 18. She refused to say if Fr Kostiantyn will be brought to the court from prison in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Russian occupation forces arrested Fr Kostiantyn – who served in a church in occupied Tokmak - in May 2023. He was held initially in Melitopol, before being transferred to Investigation Prison No. 2 in the Crimean capital Simferopol in or before February 2024. He remains there.

Artyom Sharlay, the head of the Russian occupiers' Department for Work with Ethnic, Religious and Cossack Organisations of the Social and Political Communications Department of the Internal Policy Department of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Regional Administration, claimed to Forum 18 in October 2023 that Fr Kostiantyn had not wanted the Berdyansk Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) to move to be an integral part of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Russian Orthodox Church took over the Diocese in May 2023.

On 22 August Krasnodon Court Bailiff Lieutenant Natalya Gavran in Russian-occupied Luhansk Region drew up a further record of an offence against Baptist Pastor Vladimir Rytikov (seen by Forum 18). He had failed to pay within the stipulated 60 days a fine handed down in April for a meeting for worship in January at which he was not present. "Each time they double the amount," local Baptists told Forum 18.

Court Bailiff Gavran issued Pastor Rytikov a summary fine of 10,000 Russian Roubles, representing about one month's pension. He has not paid the latest fine either. Forum 18 was unable to reach Court Bailiff Gavran.

The Judge handed Fr Feognost a probationary period (ispytatelny srok) of three years. During this time, any other conviction would send him to prison. It is counted from the day the verdict comes into force.

As the prosecutor did not appeal against the sentence, it came into force 15 days after being issued in writing.

Forum 18 was unable to reach Markivka District Court or the prosecutor on 7 and 8 October.

Orthodox priest freed after "107 days of hell"

Once the verdict had come into force, prison authorities released Fr Feognost on 4 October from Investigation Prison No. 2 in Starobilsk. He returned to his home in the village of Prosyanoe near Markivka in Russian-occupied Luhansk Region.

The official who answered the phone at Markivka's Russian-controlled Police on 8 October said the head, Aleksandr Mulyar, was not available. She said she had no information about Fr Feognost.

On 5 October, Fr Feognost wrote on his Telegram channel for the first time since his arrest on 20 June. "For the first time in 34 years, I marked it not in church, not at the liturgy, but in Markivka temporary detention centre," he wrote of the Feast of the Holy Spirit, which fell this year on 24 June. Noting that he "cried out to God", he added: "But ahead of me were a further 107 days of hell. Incredible physical suffering from external conditions was combined with round-the-clock mental torment."

Fr Feognost wrote: "And so I left prison, but the poison of hell did not leave me. And will it?"

Fr Feognost also expressed concern for his elderly mother Taisiya (who is in her early eighties), an invalid for whom he is the sole carer. After his arrest, she was taken to a hospital, where her health deteriorated seriously, he noted on Telegram on 8 October. He is now trying to bring her home while also trying to recover from his imprisonment.

Following Fr Feognost's arrest, two Christian initiatives, Peace Unto All (Mir Vsem) and Christians Against War, "maintained contact with the priest and those close to him", they noted on 4 October. "Thanks to the support of people who were not indifferent, it was possible to secure legal defence for him and to gain his release."

As you know, the priest was later released.

Source: Forum 18