Russian Orthodox Priest Serving as Deputy Commander of Russia’s Volunteer Assault Corps for Religious Affairs

Callsign “Kryostny” (“Godfather”)

A Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) priest originally from Kharkiv, Ukraine, who later moved to Russia. In a 2025 interview with Russian media, he claimed that he had been involved in clashes with supporters of the Ukrainian national movement in Kharkiv since 1989.

• ROC priest who publicly identifies as a military chaplain.
• Served for more than 30 years as rector of the Church of the Intercession in Gavrilovka, part of the Michurinsk Diocese of the ROC.
• Served as chaplain to the 7th Reconnaissance and Assault Brigade of the Union of Donbas Volunteers, named after St. George the Victorious.
• Also served as a deputy brigade commander responsible for religious and ideological affairs.

Military Record

He portrays himself as a career military chaplain with extensive combat experience and describes the war against Ukraine as his fifth war. Much of the following account is based on his own statements.

• 1989 onward: Claims to have participated in clashes with supporters of the Ukrainian national movement in Kharkiv.
• 2008: Claims to have taken part in Russia’s war against Georgia, which Russian authorities called the “operation to enforce peace.” He says he was deployed in the Kodori Gorge, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
• 2014: Says he voluntarily joined Russia-backed forces fighting against Ukraine. He was reportedly deployed near Krasnodon and served with a rapid-response medical unit. He claims to have taken part in fighting near Novosvitlivka and in evacuating wounded personnel from Luhansk.
• 2016–2019: Claims to have travelled to Syria every year while on leave.
• 2020: Says he was officially deployed to Syria with the blessing of the ROC Patriarch and served with Russian forces there.
• 2020–2021: Served with Russia’s peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh, according to his account.
• October 2023: Says he formally joined Russia’s war against Ukraine after signing a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defence and deploying to the front as a volunteer.

He publicly presents himself as a combat veteran who has participated in Russia’s military campaigns in Ukraine and Syria, as well as Russian peacekeeping operations in Nagorno-Karabakh.

He is also a member of the Russian Union of Veterans of the War in Afghanistan, a nationwide Russian veterans’ organization.

Awards

He claims to have received two Russian Orders of Courage for his participation in military operations.
According to his own account:

• the first was awarded for his involvement in fighting against Ukraine in 2014, although he says he did not receive it until 2024;
• the second was awarded following his service in Syria.

He has also received two ecclesiastical awards from Patriarch Kirill of Moscow:

• the Order of St. Dmitry Donskoy, 2nd Class;
• the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, 3rd Class.

Reported Injuries

• In an interview, he stated that he suffered injuries and a concussion in 2014 near Novosvitlivka, Ukraine. According to his account, the injuries resulted in hearing loss, and he uses a hearing aid.

Ideological Statements

• He openly supports Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
• He refers to the war as the “Special Military Operation” (“SVO”) and describes it as “long-awaited.”
• He claims that Russia is fighting “for the Orthodox faith” and against “Satanism.”
• In an interview, he stated: “We are now fighting the entire world that has become stupefied and degraded,” echoing the Russian propaganda narrative of a broader civilizational confrontation between Russia and the West.
• He has also stated: “The purpose of our current war with the West is to save our faith and save our society,” framing Russia’s aggression in explicitly religious terms.
• He promotes recurring Russian propaganda narratives about the alleged persecution of Orthodoxy in Ukraine, the “seizure of churches,” confrontation with the West, and the need to “defend traditional values.”
• He has expressed support for the Russian leadership.

Unauthorized Border Crossings

According to leaked-data aggregators, records from 2015 to 2023 indicate repeated movements between Russia, Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, and border crossing points.

Date: 2016-01-26
From: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO) (BY VEHICLE)
To: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO) (BY VEHICLE)
Vehicle registration: Н118СК68

Date: 2016-01-28
From: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO) (BY VEHICLE)
To: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO) (BY VEHICLE)
Vehicle registration: Н118СК68

Date: 2019-01-28
From: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO) (BY VEHICLE)
To: UKRAINE, STAKHANOV
Vehicle registration: H057УX68

Date: 2019-02-01
From: UKRAINE, STAKHANOV
To: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO) (BY VEHICLE)
Vehicle registration: H057УX68

Date: 2020-02-10
From: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO)
To: UKRAINE, LUHANSK
Vehicle registration: H057УX68

Date: 2020-02-14
From: UKRAINE, LUHANSK
To: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO)
Vehicle registration: H057УX68

Date: 2022-05-15
From: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO)
To: LUHANSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC, LUHANSK
Vehicle registration: H057YX68

Date: 2022-05-24
From: LUHANSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC, LUHANSK
To: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO)
Vehicle registration: H057YX68

Date: 2022-07-21
From: UKRAINE, AMVROSIIVKA
To: RUSSIA, MATVEEV KURGAN
Vehicle registration: H057YX68

Date: 2022-07-21
From: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO)
To: LUHANSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC, LUHANSK
Vehicle registration: 0098TO18

Date: 2022-10-19
From: RUSSIA, ROVENKY
To: LUHANSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC, LUHANSK
Vehicle registration: H057YX68

Date: 2022-11-22
From: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO)
To: LUHANSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC, LUHANSK
Vehicle registration: H057YX68

Date: 2022-11-24
From: LUHANSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC, LYSYCHANSK
To: RUSSIA, ROVENKY
Vehicle registration: H057YX68

Date: 2023-06-28
From: RUSSIA, VESELO-VOZNESENKA
To: RUSSIAN FEDERATION, MELITOPOL
Vehicle registration: H057YX68

Date: 2023-07-04
From: RUSSIA, MATVEEV KURGAN
To: RUSSIA, MATVEEV KURGAN
Vehicle registration: H057YX68

Call Sign “Byk” (Bull)

Bykov’s son, a VDV serviceman. According to leaked database records, he worked as a Quality Control Engineer at JSC MLRZ MILLОREM. In social media posts and interviews, he stated that he had previously worked as a bartender in Voronezh before joining Russia’s war against Ukraine. He also operates as a Twitch streamer under the username @nikforcee.

In interviews, he stated that he had served with the 16th Guards Spetsnaz Brigade and the 7th Brigade of the so-called “Luhansk People’s Militia.” In May 2022, he volunteered to join the 7th Brigade of the so-called “LPR,” where he served as an assault trooper for approximately three months. He subsequently signed a military contract and served with the 16th Guards Spetsnaz Brigade.

According to his own account, he took part in combat operations in the Popasna, Lysychansk, and Sievierodonetsk areas. In September 2022, the brigade was redeployed to the Kupiansk area, where he continued to participate in combat operations until the end of his service.

He has since been discharged from military service. In a 2025 interview, he stated that he had not been at the front for more than a year, indicating that his service had ended by 2024 at the latest. He has received military awards.

Unauthorized Border Crossings

Date: 2022-05-15
From: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO)
To: LUHANSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC, LUHANSK
Vehicle registration: H057YX68

Date: 2022-07-17
From: LUHANSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC, STAKHANOV
To: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO)
Vehicle registration: M396MY799

Date: 2022-07-21
From: UKRAINE, AMVROSIIVKA
To: RUSSIA, MATVEEV KURGAN
Vehicle registration: H057YX68

Date: 2022-07-21
From: RUSSIA, DONETSK (IZVARINO)
To: LUHANSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC, LUHANSK
Vehicle registration: H057YX68