In the village of Iza, Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukraine, parishioners blocked traffic to protest the forced conscription of two Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) priests during a liturgy. Officers from the Khust Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) entered the church and took two clerics, who are brothers, Archpriests Vasyl and Stepan Huk, from the Khust and Odessa dioceses. The incident, widely reported by Ukrainian media and a Telegram channel of MP Artem Dmytruk, sparked outrage among local believers.

Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Khust TRC building, blocking roads and demanding the release of the priests. Demonstrators prayed outside the facility, which was heavily guarded, and chanted, “Priests!” demanding their release.

According to MP Artem Dmytruk, the priests were subjected to force, and their phones and documents were confiscated. Following pressure from the protesters, the priests were released. Archpriest Vasyl was given a summons to report to the TRC in a month, while Archpriest Stepan was ordered to leave Zakarpattia within three days and undergo a medical examination in Odesa.

Since February 25, 2022, Ukraine has enforced nationwide mobilization due to the ongoing war. Men aged 18 to 60 are prohibited from leaving the country, and conscription notices can be served in various public places. Reports indicate that authorities have been conducting raids, sometimes using force to detain potential conscripts and transport them to unknown locations.

A new law tightening mobilization rules came into effect on May 18, requiring all conscripts to update their records at recruitment offices or through an online platform within 60 days. Summonses can also be delivered electronically, and conscripts must carry their military IDs at all times and present them upon request.