Ukrainian detained in Poland after knife attack at abbey — The Japan Times

In Jarosław, Poland, a 31-year-old Ukrainian citizen was detained after a knife attack on the grounds of a 17th-century Catholic abbey. One man, identified by Polish media as a priest, was killed, while four others were injured.

As The Japan Times reports, the attack occurred at around 9:30 a.m. on Benedyktyńska Street. Police in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship said the attacker assaulted four men and a woman. All of the injured were taken to hospital, with some in serious condition.

Details of the attack

According to prosecutors, the man arrived in Poland from Germany and was heading toward the Ukrainian border. However, he entered the abbey, took a knife from the kitchen, and attacked clergy and worshippers.

An eyewitness told Polish TV channel TVN that the attacker struck the priest in the neck area. Another witness told local media that the attacker also wounded a priest in a confessional.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Authorities' response

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the attacker would be punished to the full extent of Polish law. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack a horrific crime and stressed that the attacker must be held accountable in accordance with the law.

Prosecutor Bożena Garasz-Wołoszyn said the investigation has not yet established the motive for the attack. Doctors are to assess the detainee's condition and determine whether he was under the influence of alcohol. After the incident, psychologists arrived at the abbey to assist witnesses and people who were nearby.

In the evening, residents of Jarosław left flowers and candles at the abbey gates. Memorial masses and prayers were also organized in the city, attended by more than one hundred people.