Armed and you can masked soldiers seize pastor and you will partner

On the evening off 21 Sep, a small grouping of equipped and masked guys from inside the Russian or DPR armed forces uniforms started to brand new Ponomaryovs’ household in the vehicles without count plates. “Watching the brand new army vehicle without amounts, neighbors come to turn out onto the roadway to find out exactly what had occurred,” regional Baptists noted on 3 October. “Nonetheless they have been bought to go back house and never ahead aside.”

The brand new armed dudes remained throughout the Ponomaryovs’ home for about a couple and a half period. By now it actually was black, however, “this new neighbors extremely heard groans and you can whines” as masked dudes got Leonid and you will Tatyana aside “during the an unidentified direction”, local Baptists told you.

To the twenty two Sep, chapel users made an effort to learn the whereabouts out of Leonid and you can Tatyana Ponomaryov. “However, neither next nor to your further days you may they receive any responses,” regional Baptists lamented. An officer of Russian Indoor Ministry informed loved ones which they cannot care and attention as they could well be freed immediately following the newest referendum, and therefore ended towards the twenty seven Sep.

Including toward twenty-two September, officials of Russian career forces raided and you will seemed the latest Kurchatov roadway Baptist Church, taking on spiritual literature and closing the building, local Baptists noted.

Various other Protestant places of worship – in addition to at least one almost every other Council away from Churches Baptist congregation – are in a position to meet getting praise for the Mariupol. Some other Council of Churches congregation held its Attain Event worship service to the Weekend 2 Oct “in spite of the recent events”, local Baptists indexed.

Chapel participants choose forgotten pastor and you can spouse

On the 30 Sep, a few pastors on Russian town of Rostov-on-Don visited Mariupol to try and understand in which Leonid and you will Tatyana Ponomaryov are being held and just why these were captured. Also Leonid’s cousin Viktor Ponomaryov, they went to the brand new DPR State Defense Ministry, military head office, Prosecutor’s Place of work and you may cops. “But after all this type of firms it received the brand new nearly identical response: ‘They’re not right here and in addition we have no idea where he is.'”

The 3 after that travelled to Donetsk to apply kvinder Pakistansk for responses on DPR Interior Ministry and you may Condition Cover Ministry magic cops. “There too they certainly were given the exact same answers,” regional Baptists noted. The 3 after that lodged an authored app on the DPR Interior Ministry. “The application form are accepted and additionally they was guaranteed a reply within this thirty days.”

Just like the around three guys was in fact back into Mariupol regarding Donetsk, cops phoned them and you will requested them to visit Leonid and you can Tatyana Ponomaryov’s family. Introduce from the home were several investigators. “They asked his aunt Viktor while the neighbors, authored it down during the temporary after which kept,” local Baptists told you. Officials had refused to say if your family unit members do receive any answers.

“In all the conferences which have authorities of numerous agencies, when church users questioned these to choose by themselves none of one’s agencies of your own bodies will give its identity, rating or position,” chapel players noted.

College students desire to own caught mothers

On 1 Oct, the fresh Ponomaryovs’ youngsters awarded an announcement thanking chapel players getting prayers because of their moms and dads. “For ten days already we realize absolutely nothing about the subject,” it composed. “A group of church participants of Mariupol and you can Rostov ran bullet all the companies and you can establishments, not just in Mariupol but in the area heart [Donetsk], and you will had been advised nothing in the the parents everywhere.”

The brand new Ponomaryovs’ people added you to definitely some church buildings have been hoping for their moms and dads and you will fasting on the dos and 3 October. It required advice to get spread generally.

Inside the a beneficial step 3 Oct declaration in order to the players and you can congregations in the world, this new Around the world Council regarding Church buildings wanted appeals to your Ponomaryovs is sent “Simply from church buildings of the Russian Federation”. (END)