Simon Fearn
A funeral for a Ukraine soldier descended into chaos after a priest from the Moscow Patriarchate attacked the clergyman officiating the service with a crucifix.
The funeral took place on Friday 22 July in Tomasphil, a rural community in Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine.
The serviceman, Oleksandr Ziniv, had served as a radio operator in the Ukraine armed forces and died aged 42 near Mykolaiv, a town in southern Ukraine which has been experiencing heavy shelling.
There were signs of unrest from the congregation when Father Anatoly Dudko from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) started preaching an anti-Russia message, in particular encouraging mourners to abandon the Moscow Patriarchate denomination, which is linked to the Russian Federation.
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He also criticised those who referred to the deceased by his Russian name, Alexander.
This did not go down well with Father Mykhailo Vasylyuk, a Moscow Patriarchate priest in attendance at the service, who interrupted Father Dudko’s speech by striking him with a crucifix. Watch below:
Thankfully, things calmed down and the funeral was able to continue.
According to local media, Father Dudko appealed to the police, who are currently investigating the issue.
The war in Ukraine has now raged for more than 150 days.
US officials have estimated that 75,000 Russian soldiers have died during the invasion though the Russian government dispute this figure and most recently put the death toll at 1,351.
The United Nations estimated earlier this week that there have been more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilian casualties, including 5,237 deaths.
The UN also says there are more than six million Ukrainian refugees recorded across Europe.
Earlier this week, Ukraine’s richest businessman Oleksiy Vadatursky, 74, was killed along with his wife when a missile hit their home in Mykolaiv.
Vadatursky has received the Hero of Ukraine award and owned a company which exported grain.
An advisor to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he believed Vadatursky was deliberately targeted by Russia.
Mykolaiv has been repeatedly shelled by Russian forces since the invasion began on 24 February, and a hotel, sports complex, two schools, a service station and several homes were damaged in the latest attack.
Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych described it as the heaviest night of shelling so far.
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