Krasnodar priest explains his departure from Russia with threat of arrest for pacifism

Archpriest Andrei Drugai from Krasnodar, deprived of the right to conduct priestly services, reported that he had to leave Russia due to the threat of arrest for preaching about peace, contrary to the policies of the Russian Orthodox Church. Religious figures who oppose the fighting in Ukraine are being persecuted, states a leader of a public organization for helping clergy.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on June 25, it became known that the Church Court of the Ekaterinodar and Kuban Diocese has banned from priestly service Archpriest Andrei Drugai, who left the parish due to disagreement with the position of the Russian Orthodox Church on the issue of the special military operation in Ukraine. 

Andrei Drugai, Rector of the Church of the Holy Mother of God in the Krasnodar village of Severny, is preparing a complaint to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew against the court’s decision by which on June 4 he was deprived of the right to conduct priestly services. The residence of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Istanbul reviews decisions of church courts and may cancel them.

The 50-year-old priest explained that in February, he had to leave the country with his wife and son.

“After the start of the special military operation and the official position of the Russian Orthodox Church, I could not agree with them ... After all, it is impossible to believe in God and not be a peacemaker. In this regard, the position of the Russian Orthodox Church contradicts the principles of Orthodoxy. As a priest, I could not bring distorted information to people and preached peace, not war,” said Andrei Drugai.

The priest had noted that the parishioners, whom he had known for many years, are divided into two camps. “Some listened to my sermons about peace with admiration, but others were outraged that I did not support [the fighting] and stopped going to church,” the priest said.

On January 21, after Andrei Drugai felt he and his family were in danger, he submitted his resignation.

Religious and public figure Andrei Kuraev* confirmed that about 50 priests left Russia to avoid arrests for preaching about peace. He himself was deprived of the right to conduct priestly services and left Moscow in October 2023. Andrei Kuraev* now stays in the Czech Republic.

The persecution of Russian priests for refusing to support the special military operation (SMO) and “for speaking the truth about the ongoing dictatorship in power and spiritual life in the Russian Federation” has led to a wave of their migration, priest Valerian Dunin-Barkovsky notes.

Almost 300 priests signed an appeal calling for a ceasefire, published on March 1, 2022, priest Valerian Dunin-Barkovsky stated. “Now many of them are being persecuted by government agencies. Many of them have large families, wives, children, and elderly parents are in poverty,” said Father Valerian.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.