OCU dean sentenced for murder in Poltava Region

Illustrative photo: Caravan.kz

The Kobeliaky District Court in Ukraine’s Poltava region has convicted Dmytro Kulychkovskyi, a dean of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), finding him guilty of murdering the head of the NGO “People’s Control of Poltava.” The verdict was reported by LvNews.

The tragic incident took place in October 2022 in the cleric’s yard. An argument erupted between the two men over a vehicle loaded with humanitarian aid intended for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the dispute, Kulychkovskyi retrieved a hunting rifle and shot the man, who died from blood loss.

Kulychkovskyi, who served as rector of two churches and dean within the Poltava Eparchy of the OCU, admitted partial guilt. He claimed he had no intention to kill, stating that he only wanted the police to retrieve the aid supplies from the vehicle. According to his testimony, the fatal shot was triggered by an emotional outburst after the victim had struck him.

After reviewing the details of the case, the court found Kulychkovskyi guilty and sentenced him to seven years in prison. Time already served in pre-trial detention and under house arrest was taken into account.

LvNews, referring to the cleric’s religious affiliation, mistakenly identified him as a “UOC priest.”

As previously reported by the UOJ, another OCU cleric had been the subject of a search in connection with fraud involving vehicles meant for Ukraine’s military.

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