A court in the Russian city of Irkutsk has ordered the detention of Sergei Uglyanitsa, a businessman from Usolye-Sibirskoye. He was accused of “justifying terrorism” after expressing his anti-war views during confession at a church.

According to Mediazona, the businessman adopted an anti-war stance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and voiced his views during confession at an Orthodox church in the village of Telma. The local parish priest subsequently reported him to the authorities.

The outlet reports that the Russian Orthodox Church priest stated in his denunciation that Uglyanitsa wanted Ukraine to win the war.

“My attempts to calm him down and engage him in dialogue were unsuccessful and met with hostility. He went on to say that he wanted Ukrainian forces to launch a counteroffensive on Russian territory as soon as possible and fight until final victory, including the capture of Moscow. Our conversation reached a dead end, and the man told me, ‘I will light candles for Ukraine’s victory and leave your church,’” the priest was quoted as saying in his denunciation.

Two administrative offence reports were filed against Uglyanitsa under legislation prohibiting the incitement of hatred. However, in both cases, the court dismissed the proceedings on the grounds that the statutory limitation periods had expired. Uglyanitsa nevertheless remained convinced that the authorities would continue looking for ways to punish him for his anti-war stance.

As we previously reported, religious communities in Russia have faced mounting pressure since February 2022. Priests have been defrocked for praying for peace, ecclesiastical and secular courts have worked in tandem, and state authorities and church institutions have jointly punished those who refuse to justify the war.

As LF previously reported, the Russian Orthodox Church has been coordinating with the Federal Security Service (FSB) in the persecution of anti-war clergy. Evidence of this was published by religious scholar Sergei Chapnin, former editor of the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, in his book Religious Communities Under Pressure: Documenting Religious Persecution in Russia, 2022–2026.