Metropolitan Kliment of Crimea and Simferopol, who is also a military chaplain of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, is a very significant and helpful figure in the movement for the release of political prisoners and specifically for our organization, the Association of Relatives of Kremlin Political Prisoners. After all, he lived there for a long time during the occupation of Crimea and openly visited our political prisoners, providing them with spiritual and psychological support.
He continued his activities as archibishop in Orthodox Church of Ukraine in Crimea, without fearing any reprisals. Since 2019, it was Kliment who was chosen to lead the mission that takes care of Ukrainian political prisoners: the Orthodox mission to help victims of human rights violations and persons deprived of their liberty.
In the center of Kyiv, near St. Michaelʼs Cathedral, unknown persons beat a priest who is also a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Local law enforcement officers are establishing the circumstances of the attack. This was reported by the Kyiv Police.
The police found out about the priestʼs beating from social networks. According to the law enforcement officers, an investigative-operational team went to the scene, which communicates with the victim and finds out all the circumstances. The Kyiv police did not specify the name of the victim, but journalist Andrii Tsaplienko reported on the beating of Metropolitan of Crimea and Simferopol Klyment. In addition to serving in the church, Klyment is also a soldier in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Referring to the words of Klyment himself, Tsaplienko said that the bishop came to Kyiv at the invitation of the "Crimean Platform".
Around 11:00 p.m., he was walking in the direction of the St. Michaelʼs Monastery, where he has a cell, when suddenly an unknown person stopped him with the words "Lord, help us." After that, the priest was attacked by three people just outside the monastery. Klyment believes that the attack was planned. According to him, this is evidenced by the fact that a place where there are no surveillance cameras was chosen for the attack.
The Association of Relatives of Political Prisoners of the Kremlin would like to express its sincere condolences to the archibishop and warm words of support, our respect and wishes for a quick recovery. And we call on the National Police of Ukraine and other govermental structures to find criminals and bring them to justice.
