Into night away from 21 September, a team of armed and masked guys when you look at the Russian otherwise DPR army clothing come to the Ponomaryovs’ family from inside the trucks no matter plates. “Seeing the brand new military automobile rather than number, neighbors started to appear onto the street to determine exactly what had took place,” regional Baptists listed on step 3 October. “Even so they were bought to return home and not in the future aside.”

New armed men stayed throughout the Ponomaryovs’ domestic for about several and a half occasions. Right now it actually was black, however, “the neighbours distinctly heard groans and you may cries” as the disguised dudes got Leonid and you may Tatyana away “when you look at the a not known guidance”, local Baptists said.

Toward twenty-two September, church participants attempted to learn the whereabouts off Leonid and you can Tatyana Ponomaryov. “But neither upcoming nor towards the then weeks you certainly will it get any solutions,” regional Baptists lamented. An officer of the Russian Interior Ministry advised loved ones which they shouldn’t proper care while they might possibly be freed immediately following the latest referendum, and this finished on the twenty-seven Sep.

Along with towards twenty two September, officials of one’s Russian job pushes raided and appeared the new Kurchatov road Baptist Church, taking over religious books and you will sealing the building, local Baptists detailed.

Additional Protestant places of worship – and at least one most other Council off Churches Baptist congregation – continue to be capable meet for worship into the Mariupol. Several other Council from Places of worship congregation held its Accumulate Event worship provider with the Weekend 2 Oct “regardless of the current events”, regional Baptists detailed.

Church professionals try to find lost pastor and spouse

To your 30 Sep, a couple of pastors in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don visited Mariupol to attempt to understand where Leonid and you will Tatyana Ponomaryov are being stored and why they certainly were seized. Also Leonid’s brother Viktor Ponomaryov, they went to the latest DPR Condition Shelter Ministry, army headquarters, Prosecutor’s Place of work and cops datering Ukrainsk-brude. “However, at all this type of businesses it acquired the new almost identical reaction: ‘They’re perhaps not here so we do not know where he’s.'”

The three upcoming visited Donetsk to apply for responses on DPR Interior Ministry and you will State Protection Ministry wonders police. “Indeed there as well they certainly were provided the exact same solutions,” local Baptists detailed. The three next lodged a composed software to the DPR Indoor Ministry. “The applying was accepted and additionally they was in fact assured a response in this 1 month.”

As three men was in fact to Mariupol of Donetsk, police phoned him or her and you will expected them to see Leonid and you will Tatyana Ponomaryov’s family. Introduce at home was indeed numerous investigators. “It asked their sis Viktor and also the neighbours, blogged it off inside the brief after which leftover,” regional Baptists told you. Officers had would not say if for example the relatives would receive any solutions.

“In every the group meetings which have officials of numerous entities, whenever church members questioned these to select by themselves nothing of your agencies of one’s regulators would give the name, rank or position,” chapel participants indexed.

Pupils notice having captured mothers

For the step one October, the newest Ponomaryovs’ pupils granted a statement thanking church users getting prayers for their mothers. “To own ten days already we all know nothing on the subject,” it authored. “A team of church users out-of Mariupol and you will Rostov ran bullet all organizations and you will institutions, not only in Mariupol however in a nearby heart [Donetsk], and you will was in fact told nothing regarding the our parents anywhere.”

The fresh new Ponomaryovs’ college students additional you to individuals churches were hoping for their mothers and you will accelerated for the dos and you will step 3 Oct. They asked for information getting bequeath extensively.

For the good 3 Oct declaration so you’re able to the users and you can congregations in the world, the brand new Around the world Council regarding Places of worship asked for is attractive to your Ponomaryovs becoming delivered “Simply of places of worship of the Russian Federation”. (END)