FOOTAGE shows the bizarre moment a Russian priest beat a Ukrainian clergyman with a holy cross.
Mykhailo Vasylyuk of the Moscow Patriarchate was filmed disrupting the funeral of fallen soldier Oleksandr Zinivy.
The moment Mykhailo Vasylyuk takes aim during a funeral[/caption]
Anatoliy Dudko, dressed in grey, has openly criticised Vladimir Putin and his regime[/caption]
In the clip, the man of cloth attempts to rip the cross from the neck of priest, Anatoliy Dudko, before striking him.
Military personnel were reportedly forced to intervene in the altercation after Vasylyuk was dragged away.
Local activist, Serhiy Timkov, shared the footage on Facebook as he revealed that Dudko had suffered minor injuries.
He wrote: “In my opinion, [the incident] crosses all possible and impossible limits of arrogance.
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“Based on the above, I further ask law enforcement authorities to ensure order at any gatherings where there is a conflict.”
According to reports, Dudko upset the Russian after he publicly blamed Vladimir Putin for the ongoing invasion.
Ukrainian followers of the Russian orthodox Church – a branch of Christianity – broke with its Moscow leadership earlier this year.
The incident comes after it was revealed that at least 75,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured in the Ukraine war disaster in the latest blow to the president.
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The latest figure appears in line with a Russian estimate that more than 56,500 soldiers, national guards and private military company fighters have been killed.
A headcount of colonels and lieutenant-colonels revealed almost a dozen new names, highlighting the chronic losses among the higher ranks.
A dozen generals have also been killed in the five-month-long war started by the Russian tyrant as troop numbers continue to dwindle.
Just days ago, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said detailed assessments show Putin’s plan has spectacularly failed.
His military is now so weakened, Ukrainians are increasingly confident they could reclaim all their old borders.
Sir Tony said: “They are absolutely clear they plan to restore the whole of their territory in terms of Ukraine.
“They see a Russia that is struggling, a Russia we assess has lost over 30 per cent of its land combat effectiveness.”
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He continued: “Russia had the ambition to create fractures as a challenge to the world order.
“Russia is failing in all of those ambitions.”
