Ukrainian national attacks clergy and worshippers at Polish abbey, one dead

Attack details

Polish police reported that a 31-year-old Ukrainian man entered the 17th-century Benedictine abbey in Jaroslaw, a town near the Ukrainian border, on the morning of 24 September 2026. The suspect allegedly took a knife from the monastery kitchen and began stabbing five individuals – three clergy members, including a priest, and two laypeople. One of the victims, a priest, died at the scene, while the remaining four were taken to hospital, with two described as being in a life-threatening condition. Prosecutors noted that the attacker had arrived in Poland from Germany earlier that day and was reportedly heading toward a nearby border crossing before diverting to the abbey. The motive for the assault has not been established, and authorities said medical examinations would determine whether alcohol was involved.

Official reactions

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the assailant as a murderer and pledged that he would face the full severity of Polish law. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the incident as a horrific crime and called for the perpetrator to be held accountable under the law. The mayor of Jaroslaw, Marcin Nazarewicz, announced a period of mourning for the town until the end of the week. Stabbings at religious sites are reported as extremely rare in Poland, a country with a strong Catholic tradition.