Two Russian Orthodox priests are on trial on criminal charges for their opposition to Russia’s war in Ukraine. If convicted, they could be imprisoned or have to pay massive fines. They are the first members of the clergy known to be facing criminal prosecution for protesting against the war from a religious perspective.

Both priests are members of a branch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) which did not join the Moscow Patriarchate with other parts of ROCOR in 2007.

Fr Ioann Kurmoyarov is being prosecuted for videos he posted on his YouTube channel in which he criticises the Moscow Patriarchate’s support for the war, suggests the “aggressors” will not go to heaven, and argues that “Every condemnation of this aggression, this war on Ukraine, is a spiritual matter. All Christians should do it on principle”.

Fr Ioann has been in detention in St Petersburg’s Kresty-2 Prison since early June and will remain there throughout his trial.