Orthodox Priest From Pinsk Taken To Army

He serves in the airborne troops.

The cleric of the Orthodox Church of Saints Peter and Fevronia in Pinsk, Priest Artsiomiy Mihalevich, was sent to serve in the army at the same time when they wanted to draft a Catholic priest, noted Katolik.life.

As it turned out, first priests were sent to serve in the army during the spring conscription in 2023, when they tried to draft the vicar of the Catholic parish in Navahrudak, Dzmitry Malets. At that time he arrived at the military recruitment centre to be sent to the army, but from there the priest was sent for a medical examination, which he did not pass.

According to a report published by the Orthodox parish in Pinsk, the cleric has been on compulsory military service for the 10th month - that is, he was sent to the army in May 2023.

Just at that time it was reported that the authorities had decided to start conscripting priests, but it was assumed that they would serve in the transport troops, given that priests cannot take up arms. However, this was not the case with the Pinsk priest - he was sent to the airborne troops to the 92616 military unit in Brest.

On March 12, a group of representatives of the 38th Independent Guards Airborne Assault Brigade, where the cleric serves, visited the Pinsk church. It was a return visit, as before the churchmen had visited the military on their territory.

Artsiomiy Mihalevich is from Luninets and used to play in the orchestra. In the photo he is in a military uniform, wearing glasses.

Now Belarus is going through a new conscription campaign. There is no public information about the conscription of both Catholic and Orthodox priests in the spring of 2024.