Two unknown individuals attacked a 44-year-old priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in a residential building in Heroyev Stalinhrada Avenue in Kyiv at around 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. The priest was admitted to hospital with a gunshot wound to his head. He is now in serious condition.

"The victim was found on the staircase by his neighbor, who immediately called for an ambulance and the police. A group of investigators of the Obolonsky district police department went to the scene," the public relations department of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry's Main Department in Kyiv has reported.

The investigative branch of the district department has entered the information into the unified register of pretrial investigations based on Part 2 of Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (premeditated murder). A pretrial investigation is underway.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) has reported on its website that the priest is Roman Nikolayev, prior of the Church of Great Martyr Tatiana of the Kyiv deanery.

"One of the main theories of the attack is burglary. The police are now conducting an investigation," the report says.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church also says the priest, who has sustained two gunshot wounds, is alive, but his condition is serious.