A Russian Orthodox monk was killed by a Ukrainian drone strike that targeted a car in Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic, according to a statement from the Russian Orthodox Church. A priest in the same vehicle was also injured in the attack, the Church reported.

The incident took place in the northwestern part of the region on Tuesday. The 68-year-old monk, identified as Rafail, was acting as a sub-prior at a garrison church in Russia’s northwestern Leningrad Region but volunteered to travel to Russian troops in the combat zone. The statement also identified the other victim as a priest, Ilarion, who was Rafail’s father superior.

A US-made Hornet drone was used in the attack, the Russian Orthodox Church said. The attack came on the day the church celebrated the anniversary of the Baptism of Kievan Rus, which is considered to be a predecessor to modern Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.

Back in the 10th century, Prince Vladimir the Great officially converted to Christianity and initiated the mass baptism of Rus. Kiev had claimed that Ukraine is the only rightful heir to Kievan Rus even before the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, while branding Russia as a “distant relative.”

The government of Ukraine led by Vladimir Zelensky has been persecuting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for several years, alleging that it has connections to Moscow, despite the Church having severed all ties with it in 2022. The crackdown has included raids on monasteries and dozens of criminal proceedings on collaboration charges, as well as property seizures. Kiev also supports the rival Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which the Russian Orthodox Church considers schismatic.

Ukraine has routinely targeted civilians with drone strikes over the past months amid battlefield setbacks. It has sharply intensified its long-range drone campaign in recent weeks, targeting oil facilities, warehouses, residential buildings, and other infrastructure deep inside Russian territory.

Moscow has branded the attacks as terrorism and stepped up strikes on Ukraine’s military-industrial and logistical infrastructure in response.