A Greek Catholic priest, Father Ihor Makar, was injured yesterday in a Russian drone strike while traveling to celebrate a liturgy in Kherson, southern Ukraine. The priest, who is also the director of Caritas in Kherson, was with a group of seminarians from the Drohobych Seminary when they noticed a Russian drone hovering above.
Father Makar recounted the incident, saying, “We were following one of our parishioners when I noticed a drone in the sky. Because of the frost, the road was very slippery, we could not stop or turn back… I understood that this drone was probably targeting us.” The drone struck the car, shattering the windows and damaging the doors and wheels.
Fortunately, the seminarians escaped unharmed, but Father Makar sustained an injury to his leg and will require surgery to remove a splinter. The priest has been serving in Kherson since 2005 and has continued to support his community despite the Russian invasion. In November 2022, the city returned to Ukrainian control, and Father Makar has since resumed his duties, serving two parishes in the region and providing aid to the local population.
The incident is part of a larger pattern of Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian localities, which have caused several injuries, according to Kherson Governor Oleksander Prokudin.