185. Detention, interrogation
Sofiivka (Zaporizhzhia)
LOCATION: Sofiivka (Zaporizhzhia)
DATE: May 17-June 1, 2022
NUMBER OF WITNESSES: 1
SUMMARY: The Witness was deported from the village of Vesele, Melitopol District, Zaporizhzhia Region. The occupation authorities accused him of aiding and abetting terrorism because he allegedly helped Ukrainian partisans and because weapons were stored at the Orthodox church where he was a priest. The Witness was forcibly expelled from the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia to Ukraine-controlled territory.
WITNESSES
The Witness was a male civilian in his late 30s. A resident of the village of Vesele, he was an Orthodox priest and head of the local church.
VICTIMS
The Victim of the incident was the Witness mentioned above.
ALLEGED PERPETRATORS
as described by the Witness(es)
The Witness describes two groups of perpetrators. The first group—six men who searched the territory of the church—were likely Russian military personnel of different ethnic backgrounds (Russian and Chechen). The second group—four men who interrogated the Witness—had representatives of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) among them. The Witness also identified the head of the Vesele Community, appointed by Russian forces, as the collaborator.