Andrii Lysyi

Andrii Lysyi

Head of the Department for Mass and Secured Events of the Preventive Activities Directorate of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Kyiv Region.

By virtue of his direct duties in law enforcement, Andrii Lysyi was present at the scene of every provocation or attempted seizure of churches by OCU activists in the Kyiv Region.

During the first wave of church seizures in the summer–autumn of 2022, Lysyi maintained a neutral position and attempted to ensure dialogue between UOC parishioners and raider groups affiliated with the OCU.

Everything changed in 2023, when Lysyi began providing police cover for raider seizures of churches.

Moreover, this police officer is a figure in numerous cases involving the use of unjustified force.

On May 6, 2023, Lysyi was present at the scene during the raider seizure of the Holy Archangel Michael Church of the UOC in the city of Boyarka.

The police officer barred clergy and the community’s lawyer of the UOC from entering the territory of the seized church.

On the same day, the unlawful use of force by Lysyi against a UOC clergyman, Archpriest Mykola Maslii, was recorded.

During an attempt by UOC believers to enter the church grounds, the police officer tried to obstruct the Orthodox Christians.

On May 30, 2023, Lysyi used force against a clergyman of the Holy Demetrius Church of the UOC in the village of Cherniakhiv.

The police officer was captured on video from the scene, showing Lysyi twisting the arms of an Orthodox priest.

The unlawful use of force by Lysyi occurred precisely at the moment when a criminal OCU group was seizing the church.

On June 25, 2023, Lysyi participated in the illegal use of force against parishioners of the UOC Archangel Michael Church in Belogorodka.

Police officers directly assisted the OCU raiders who seized the church. Security forces pushed the faithful away from the church and facilitated the OCU criminal group's forced entry.

Around this time, some police officers began violently detaining UOC believers. Lysyi was present, filming his colleagues' actions and doing nothing to prevent the illegal detention.