A priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Tykhon Kulbaka, who was kidnapped by Donetsk terrorists has been found in the dungeons of the Russian Orthodox Army. Religious leaders of the city are negotiating his release, according to Mufti Dumu “Ummah” Saeed Ismahilov, who reported this information on his Facebook page.
Father Tykhon Kulbaka“Thanks to the efforts of many people, we found Father Tykhon and learned which group of militants seized him. Now there are negotiations for his release,” said the Mufti.
Mufti Saeed Ismahilov said that today the delegation, which included a Roman Catholic priest, a Protestant minister and pastor of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, met with the mayor of Donetsk Alexander Lukyanchenko. Religious leaders asked the mayor to help them free Father Tykhon.
“Going to the meeting, we already knew that he (Father Kulbaka) is in the dungeons of the Russian Orthodox Army. The mayor promised that during his meeting with Boroday he would assist with the freeing of Father Tykhon, ” said Ismahilov.
“We were told much more by journalists who were at the press conference with the mayor. A Wall Street Journal journalist Philip Shishkin advised us to enter a into negotiations with someone going by the name of Barkhan and even advised on how to contact him. We are taking every opportunity to release Father Tykhon ” the Mufti added.
As the Mufti RAMU “Ummah” noted, the imprisoned Greek Catholic priest, by the standards of the terrorist organization, the Donetsk Peoples’ Republic, is considered a particularly dangerous wrong-doer.”
“He was not set free, for the same reason as he was abducted by the Donetsk Peoples’ Republic, as he was considered by them as an especially dangerous offender,” he said.
As already reported by RISU, the UGCC priest Tykhon Kulbyaka disappeared on July 3. He is secretary of the Interfaith Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, Donetsk region, a philanthropist and one of the organizers of the marathon prayer for peace and unity in Ukraine, which is daily taking place on the main street of the city. The priest, in addition, suffers from diabetes and needs daily medication. Before the kidnapping he had been threatened repeatedly.
Source: RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine) http://risu.org.ua/ua/index/all_news/community/religion_and_policy/56989/
Translated by Olena Wawryshyn
