Churches Get Special Consideration in Ukraine‘s Military Mobilization
Ukraine’s government has decreed that all religious organization officials will be exempted from military mobilization, a unique provision not tied to salary criteria. The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience has published an approved list of clerical positions eligible for this exemption.
This decision comes amidst clarification from earlier statements by the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), who outlined that the current mobilization law lacks any special provisions for clergy. In a recent interview, he confirmed that priests are not immune to blockpost checks and document inspections, despite their roles in the Church.
"As a personal measure, I have updated my details in the military draft commission’s registry and obtained the necessary military documents to present upon request," the Patriarch said. However, he also mentioned the absence of a systematic process granting automatic mobilization exemptions to clergy.
