‘I’m the priest detained on way to Navalny memorial – I want freedom for Russia’

Father Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko was detained in a crackdown on vigils for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny (Picture: Emily Manley, Metro.co.uk/AFP/Getty

A Russian priest who suffered a stroke after being detained as he went to hold a memorial for Alexei Navalny has openly praised the Kremlin critic’s ‘struggle for freedom’.

Father Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko was taken into custody as soon as he left his home in St Petersburg on Saturday during a nationwide crackdown on vigils for Mr Navalny.

He has risked arrest by calling for an end to the war in Ukraine and has been helping refugees from the country who have ended up in Russia after fleeing the full-scale invasion.

The priest, of the Apostolic Orthodox Church, suffered the stroke in a police station after being detained as he went to hold the service at the Solovetsky Stone, a monument to victims of political repression located in Trinity Square, St Petersburg.

He was taken to hospital and has since been allowed to return home, where he calmly spoke of Mr Navalny’s legacy, despite risking further retribution in the climate of repression that has prevailed under Vladimir Putin’s rule.

‘The Solovetsky Stone in St Petersburg is a memorial where we serve prayers for victims of the Stalin regime, as well as journalists such as Anna Politkovskaya and politicians who have been killed in more recent years,’ Father Grigory said.

Father Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko was detained as he went to lead a memorial service for Alexei Navalny (Picture: Father Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko)

‘I know that for many people it is important to pray for and commemorate Alexei Navalny, a young man who died in jail.

‘I did not know him but it is a very sad story so I decided to give a service on Saturday to say some final good words for him, which is normal for any human being. This proved to be a mistake, as I found out quite suddenly that some politicians were against this idea.’

Almost 400 people were detained as they tried to mourn Mr Navalny following the news of his death at a penal colony in the Arctic Circle, according to human rights group OVD-Info.

Father Grigory was among those who felt compelled to show their respects after news of the 47-year-old’s death at the harsh ‘Polar Wolf’ jail in northern Russia broke on Friday.

Father Grigory suffered a stroke after spending around seven hours in a cell at a police station (Picture: Father Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko)

After being intercepted by police he was driven to the station where he was charged with a public order offence and had his phone seized as he was held for around seven hours in a cell before suffering the stroke.

The priest was taken to hospital and has been told by doctors that he will need to spend a month at home as he receives further treatment.

Police detain a man during a gathering in memory of Alexei Navalny near the Wall of Grief monument in Moscow (Picture: Reuters)

A woman is dragged away during a gathering in memory of Alexei Navalny near the Wall of Grief in Moscow (Picture: Reuters)

He was once a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church, whose leader Patriarch Kirill is an ardent supporter of the full-scale invasion.

By contrast, Father Grigory, 56, has described the attack as a ‘war’, a description which has been made a criminal offence in his homeland, rather than use Putin’s term of a ‘special military operation’.

Father Grigory is led away after being intercepted as he tried to lead a memorial service in St Petersburg (Picture: Father Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko)

Follow Metro on WhatsApp to be the first to get all the latest news

Follow us to receive the latest news updates from Metro (Picture: Getty Images)

Metro’s on Whatsapp! Join our community for breaking news and juicy stories.

Father Grigory is making a slow recovery after suffering a stroke while he was detained (Picture: Father Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko)

He has also called for Russia to go back to its 1991 borders, which would return a swathe of occupied and annexed territory to Ukraine.

The clergyman and his church have been openly helping Ukrainian refugees who have ended up in Russia after the outset of the full-scale invasion almost two years ago, including some 7,000 in the first four months alone.

He spoke as the exact circumstances of Mr Navalny’s death remain unclear, with his Anti-Corruption Foundation saying his death was ‘murder’ and his family and colleagues calling on the authorities to release his body.

Alexei Navalny looks at photographers during a hearing at the Babuskinsky District Court in Moscow (Picture: AP)

Father Grigory believes that Mr Navalny, who spent three years in prison before his death, will be remembered alongside other prominent figures who strove for people to be part of the ‘free world’.

‘I am sure that in the future Mr Navalny’s name will be alongside those of other people in the world who have struggled for freedom,’ he said.

‘For a place where you can have different opinions and be left, right, nationalist, internationalist in a democratic country rather than live in totalitarianism. Although from time to time it is difficult to explain to the authorities, I am sure that in the future Russia will be living in peace, as part of the free world.’

Father Grigory has been undeterred in speaking of freedom for Russia (Picture: Father Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko)

Father Grigory intends to continue speaking up, despite the evident risk, weighing that ‘what will be will be’.

‘Together with my ministry, we will continue to work to support the refugees because there are a lot of problems and many families have lost contact with relatives,’ he said.

‘Even if the war stopped tomorrow, they would still be in a bad situation and need a lot of support. I don’t think about the risk to myself, what will be will be. I will continue my work with my ministry in the circumstances that we find ourselves in Russia.’

Six individuals in charge of the penal colony where Mr Navalny died were sanctioned by the UK government this morning.

Announcing the news to MPs, Rishi Sunak said of Mr Navalny: ‘He died for a cause to which he dedicated his whole life – freedom.

‘And to return home knowing that Putin had already tried to have him killed was one of the most courageous acts of our time.’

Do you have a story you would like to share? Contact [email protected]

Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more by signing up to Metro’s News Updates newsletter