Viktor Pivovarov's assistant has been charged with two counts of inciting hatred.

The charge of inciting hatred or enmity, which Ilya Sigida, assistant to Archbishop Viktor Pivovarov of the Russian Orthodox Church, is charged with, carries a sentence of up to five years in prison. Parishioners reported that after his arrest, he was wearing a torn cassock and had his head shaved; his mother described her son's state as depressed.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on November 27, armed, masked men took monetary donations and documents from Archbishop Viktor Pivovarov of the Russian Orthodox Church's church, after which they took his assistant, Ilya Sigida, with them. Sigida's mother was informed that he was being detained in connection with a criminal case for discrediting the army. On November 28, he was released under house arrest.

A court document from November 28, presented by an anonymous source in the Slavyansk City Court, sheds light on the details of the charges and the conditions of detention.

A court ruling from November 28, 2025 (available to the "Caucasian Knot") indicates that Ilya Sigida, born in 1991, has no permanent registration or place of residence. The court granted the investigator's motion and chose a preventive measure in the form of house arrest for a period of 1 month and 23 days, until January 20, 2026. Place of detention: Krasnodar Krai, Slavyansk-on-Kuban, st. Yunyh Kommunarov, 130, the home of priest Viktor Pivovarov, where the church is located.

According to the ruling, Jonah is prohibited from leaving the home, communicating with persons involved in the criminal proceedings, or using the internet except for communication with the investigator and defense attorney. He is also required to appear when summoned by the investigator and the court.

According to the ruling, Jonah is charged with two counts of Part 4 of Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which concerns public actions aimed at inciting hatred or enmity, humiliating human dignity, including the propaganda of Nazism, committed by a group of persons or using the internet.

Part 4 of Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provides for liability for actions aimed at "Incitement of hatred or Nazi propaganda committed by a group of individuals or via the internet. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for up to five years with restrictions on holding certain positions. In practice, political cases are more often given either suspended or actual sentences. A suspended sentence is given if the defendant admits guilt and cooperates. An actual sentence is given if the defendant denies guilt or resists. Linguistic and computer-technical examinations are mandatory if the matter concerns publications or online activity. If there were physical injuries, they must be documented; they prove pressure on the person, which could have compelled them to perform certain actions desired by law enforcement or to testify," lawyer Artur Filippov told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Testimonies of Parishioners

Parishioner, A man who introduced himself as Alexei told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that he saw Jonah near the courthouse. "I met him after the court. I didn't recognize him right away. He was with his mother. His whole appearance was unusual: his head was shaved, his beard was shaved off, and his cassock was torn across the chest and stomach. Jonah said he was going to the police for his internal passport, but they weren't returning his international passport. He was completely devastated. I advised him to contact a forensic expert or call an ambulance, but he simply waved his hand and walked on. His mother was crying and following him," the priest reported.

Another parishioner, who introduced himself as Nikolai, reported similar information about Jonah's unusual appearance. "I saw Jonah on November 29th when he was leaving the police station. His head was completely shaved and his cassock was torn. He said he was being charged with a criminal offense, but he didn't know what it was yet. He was registered, fingerprinted, given numerous documents to sign, but no copies were given, an ankle bracelet was placed, and he was hooked up to a machine. During the investigation, he will be living in the Bishop's house at the church and is prohibited from communicating, including using the phone and the internet," Nikolai said.

He also said that everyone was looking at Jonah, but when Nikolai offered him some clothes to cover his torn cassock, Jonah calmly replied, "Let everyone look..." and moved on.

Jonah's mother, Tatyana Sigid, declined to comment on the matter. Eyewitness accounts. When asked why she didn't call an ambulance, she replied that Ilya didn't want to and that he was very depressed. She also noted that while her son had previously courted Viktor Pivovarov, now he himself needed help.

On December 28, 2023, it became known that Archbishop Viktor (Pivovarov) of the Russian Orthodox Church was charged with discrediting the army. The charges stemmed from his article condemning military action in Ukraine. Pivovarov linked his criminal case to his message to believers. In January, his case was submitted to the Slavyansk City Court. On April 8, he was fined 150,000 rubles. Pivovarov pleaded not guilty, but refused to appeal the fine. In October 2024, Priest Viktor Pivovarov ceased serving at a church in Slavyansk-on-Kuban because he was unable to get out of bed after breaking his femur. Following the start of a criminal investigation into fake news about the army, Pivovarov was stalked and threatened; his stalker insulted the priest online and spread false messages about him.

The Russian Orthodox Church (RosOC) is a religious association of non-canonical Orthodoxy of the Russian tradition, operating in Russia and the former USSR. It does not have Eucharistic communion (joint celebration of liturgies) with the Moscow Patriarchate or with any of the local Orthodox churches, according to the Modern Russian Encyclopedia.