Attack by Ukrainian man on people at monastery in Poland had no nationalist motive; he is currently in psychiatric hospital, - Ambassador Bodnar
A 31-year-old Ukrainian man carried out a knife attack at a Polish monastery, which resulted in the death of a priest. He has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital. On the day of the attack, he had travelled to Poland from Germany and had also attempted to enter Ukraine.
This was reported by Vasyl Bodnar, Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland, in a comment to Slawa TV, according to Censor.NET.
What does the ambassador say?
According to the ambassador, the suspect lives in Germany and, the day before, had attempted to cross the border from Poland into Ukraine but was refused entry due to a lack of insurance. Furthermore, Bodnar said that the man may have been suffering from mental health issues and is currently in a psychiatric hospital.
"I wouldn’t look for any extraordinary motives at this stage, because sensational headlines can always provoke further escalation of tensions. Furthermore, I am awaiting an official statement from the police, which will provide precise details of his mental state," Bodnar said.
He believes the attack was not motivated by ethnic or national factors. At the same time, the diplomat added that the man "must be held accountable in accordance with all the legal provisions" of the EU and Poland.
The circumstances according to the prosecution
According to the prosecution, the Ukrainian man entered Poland today from Germany and was heading for the border crossing at Korczowa, but did not cross the border.
A spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office said that the man entered the monastery grounds and then went into the kitchen. It was there, according to investigators, that he took a knife, which he used as a weapon in the attack.
"At this stage, we can say that this man entered the monastery grounds and went into the kitchen. It was there that he first encountered the people involved in this incident. Later, the incident moved to the church, which is located on the same site as the monastery," the prosecutor’s office said.
The man was detained at the scene by police officers; initial investigative procedures are being carried out with him, and doctors will determine whether further legal proceedings are possible.
The Ukrainian man’s motive
The publication Wirtualna Polska, citing sources, reports that the motive for the attack may have been revenge against local priests. According to media reports, prior to the attack, the man knocked on the abbey gates in the morning and asked for financial assistance, but was refused.
Eyewitnesses said he was drunk or under the influence of drugs, was speaking incoherently, and was dressed very lightly, even though it was cold outside. A source told the publication that the Ukrainian man "lost his mind" when he did not receive help.
Initially, the Ukrainian man allegedly threatened the priests verbally, and then returned from somewhere with a machete, which he used to attack the visitors and the priest. Polish law enforcement has not yet announced an official motive for the crime.
What is known about the attack
- The attack took place on Thursday, 24 September, at around 9.30 am on the grounds of the Benedictine nuns’ abbey on Benedyktyńska Street in Jarosław, Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Poland. According to the Polish police, a 31-year-old Ukrainian national attacked several people on the monastery grounds with a knife. Four men, including at least two priests, and one woman were injured.
- One of the priests – Father Stanisław – died from his injuries; according to some reports in the Polish media, the number of priests killed may have risen to two. Doctors describe the condition of some of the victims as critical; all have been hospitalised.
- According to witnesses and the abbess of the monastery, the attacker took advantage of the moment when the abbey gates were open following a visit by a group of young people and gained access to the grounds. One of the priests, according to the investigation, was attacked whilst in the confessional.
- The attacker was apprehended at the scene. According to the public prosecutor’s office, he had driven into Poland from Germany during the night, heading for the border crossing at Korczowa, but did not cross the border there. It is currently unclear how he ended up in the Yaroslavl district. A knife was seized from the man, and a blood sample was taken to test for alcohol or drugs.
- Local authorities have introduced heightened security measures in the town’s schools, whilst the police are establishing all the circumstances and motives behind the crime.
- The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated that the attacker must be held fully accountable in accordance with the law. He also expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
