Russian riot police arrested a renegade priest in an operation at a convent in the Ural region.
Father Sergiy, whose real name is Nikolai Romanov, gained notoriety earlier this year after denying the existence of the Covid-19 pandemic, protesting the closure of churches during the blockade and criticizing the Russian Orthodox Church.
He took control of the Sredneuralsky women’s monastery near Yekaterinburg, in the Urals, in June and refused to leave.
Known for wearing long dark tunics, Sergiy was formally expelled from the church in September for openly ignoring the ban on worship and preaching.
Images posted online showed a riot of riot police and people shouting outside the convent during the operation.
His lawyer confirmed his arrest and said Sergiy was accused of encouraging minors to kill themselves, the Kommersant newspaper reported.
The case against him may be related to a YouTube video in which he calls on his followers to die for Russia.
Police and local authorities have yet to comment on the operation.
A spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church, Vladimir Legoida, wrote on Telegram: “It is a pity that … Sergiy and his supporters did not heed the Church’s repeated calls to repent and correct (its manners).”