Ukrainian woman reports stabbing attack in a monastery in Yaroslavl - one priest is dead

Ukrainian Katia came to Jarosław (Podkarpackie Voivodeship) with her son, now 11, four years ago. At that time, the monastery was a center helping war refugees from Ukraine. Most of them have already left for Western Europe or returned to Ukraine. The woman does not want to return because Russian bombs fall every day where she lives. She stayed in Jarosław, like several other people, and got a job in a monastery.

As she told PAP, various groups of people from Ukraine stay at the abbey or come to various events organized by the nuns.

He wanted a glass of water

According to her account, on Thursday morning a man came to the monastery kitchen, whom none of the people there knew. He wanted a glass of water.

When one of the priests pointed out to him that only employees were allowed in the kitchen, he took a knife and attacked the priest, Katia said.

More people who were being attacked by the 31-year-old came to help. According to the woman, the man did not attack in the church.

The 40-year-old admitted that this tragedy may affect the attitude of Poles towards Ukrainians. She said that on Thursday, the son of her friend, who also works at the monastery, heard some unpleasant words from his peers.

I have already told my son that he will not go to school for the next few days, she added.

Candles at the monastery

The immediate vicinity of the monastery was still fenced with police tape late on Thursday evening, and crime scene technicians were working on site.

There was a board at the monastery gate with information that a prayer for the victims and those injured in the Jarosław abbey would be celebrated in the Jarosław collegiate church. All services scheduled for Thursday from the monastery were also moved to the collegiate church.

Candles are lit near the monastery and people gather to talk about the events that took place in the morning. Some pray and remember the priest who died.

A 31-year-old Ukrainian attacked a total of five people in the monastery. One of the attacked priests died. Two slightly injured people were transported to hospitals in Przeworsk and Przemyśl. One of them, who was undergoing treatment in a hospital in Przemyśl, returned to the monastery in Jarosław on Thursday evening, which was witnessed by journalists there.

This information was confirmed at an evening briefing by prosecutor Bożena Harasz-Wołoszyn from the District Prosecutor's Office in Przemyśl. She added that he was a priest and would be questioned by investigators.

She said that the two most seriously injured people are in the Medical Care Center in Jarosław. The most seriously injured patient underwent two life-saving operations, and his condition was described as serious but stable. In turn, one of the injured clergy has already left the medical facility and returned to his place of residence, said the prosecutor.

Earlier, when asked about the identity of the injured, a representative of the Przemyśl prosecutor's office clarified that among the five injured people, three were clergy and two lay people, a man and a woman.

The perpetrator of the attack was arrested

The perpetrator of the attack - a Ukrainian citizen - was detained. After receiving help in the hospital emergency department, he was transported to the District Police Headquarters in Jarosław. The man himself suffered injuries during the incident, including: hand. The breathalyzer test gave a result of 0.0 per mille, and blood was taken from him for further analysis to check for the presence of narcotics.

According to investigators, the suspect entered Poland at night from Germany and traveled by car to the border crossing in Korczowa. This border was not crossed, most likely because the border crossing was temporarily closed. Later we know that for some reason he went to Jarosław, said the prosecutor.

The weapon of attack was a knife, most likely taken from the monastery kitchen. At this stage, investigators do not know the perpetrator's motives. The decision to conduct an interview and formal procedural steps depends on the opinion of doctors.