On 15 January 1980, the priest Dmitry Dudko [1] was detained in the village of Grebnevo (Moscow Region) immediately after a church service.
He was presented with an arrest warrant signed by KGB Major Sorokin and taken to Moscow. His wife went with him. They were taken not for a search, but to the Lubyanka. Only in the evening was Father Dmitry’s wife told, that he had been arrested and was in the city’s KGB-run Lefortovo Prison.
Meanwhile two searches took place at Father Dmitry’s homes in Grebnevo and in Moscow. In Grebnevo books written by Father Dmitry and his notes were taken. A copy of the search record was not left behind. In Moscow issues of the Herald of the Russian Christian Movement (Vestnik RKhD) and of Kontinent were confiscated, as were religious-philosophical literature and books by Father Dmitry.
The Bible and books published by the Moscow Patriarchate were not taken.
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Searches at parishioners’ homes
On the same day searches took place at the homes of Father Dmitry’s parishioners.
At the home of A. Semyonov who had been helping Father Dmitry in church services and had been sentenced the previous day to 15 days in jail, there were two searches: at his flat in Fryazino; and at his mother’s flat in Monino.
Only his mother-in-law was present during the search at his flat. ‘Gasmen’ came to the door and asked her: “Have you got any anti-Soviet literature?” Pointing to the shelf where a Bible and prayer-book stood, she replied: “That’s all the literature I have”. It was written in the record that she had allegedly confessed that she had anti-Soviet literature in the house.
Those carrying out the search threatened her, spat on her icons and removed them from their frames. A tape-recorder, a camera, books by Father Dmitry and other religious literature. Biblical texts copied out by hand, letters and photographs were taken. Semyonov’s mother-in-law was made to sign a written undertaking that she would not divulge the proceedings.
At Semyonov’s mother’s flat religious books and photographs of Father Dmitry were confiscated.
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At A. Ovchinnikova’s home her correspondence with her relatives in France, receipts for international telephone calls were confiscated, as were paintings by Oscar Rabin and V. Linitsky (CCE 48.21) with dedicatory inscriptions, and several books of art reproductions published abroad.
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At N. Kuzmina’s home The Gulag Archipelago, religious-philosophical literature, books by Father Dmitry and two Bibles published abroad were confiscated. Then she was taken to an interrogation. Kuzmina refused to answer and was threatened that a case might be brought against her under Article 70 (RSFSR Criminal Code).
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At K. Glemyanov’s flat — he is a former teacher of Marxism-Leninism in a teachers’ training institute and now works as a church nightwatchman — The Gulag Archipelago, a few issues of the Herald of the Russian Christian Movement, photocopies of religious-philosophical books, his own articles and photographs were confiscated (in the search record 133 items were listed).
Before the search started Glemyanov was asked to hand over anti-Soviet literature, foreign currency and ammunition. He handed over two dollars and 20 francs.
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A postman arrived at L Chapkovsky’s flat and asked permission to warm himself; he said that his colleague was about to bring a telegram.
A short while later three ’colleagues’ arrived: they refused to show their documents. The first postman turned out to be KGB Captain I.V. Kandidatov, while the search was led by an official from the Gorky City KGB, V.D. Kolpakov, who appeared later.
Religious books published abroad, issues of Herald of the Russian Christian Movement, typewritten copies of theological books and two issues of A Chronicle of Current Events were confiscated.
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Other searches
On 15 January 1980, a search was also carried out at the home of Victor Kapitanchuk, a member of the Christian Committee (for the Defence of the Rights of Believers in the USSR). It was conducted by Malyshev. After the search Kapitanchuk was interrogated about Case 521. Malyshev informed him that the accused in this case was Dmitry Dudko. Kapitanchuk noted in the record of the interrogation his refusal to give evidence.
During the search, Yevgeny Nikolayev (this issue CCE 56.20) called to see Kapitanchuk. Six copies of Gleb Yakunin’s report to the Christian Committee (this issue CCE 56.28 [6]) and statements signed by Nikolayev were discovered in his briefcase. Nikolayev said that he had found the briefcase on a rubbish dump and was not familiar with the contents of the documents inside it.
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After the search at Kapitanchuk’s apartment, Nikolayev was taken for a search at his own home. The search was conducted by KGB First Lieutenant I.Ya. Zotov. The following items were confiscated:
- Typewritten texts of articles by Nikolayev (mostly in several copies),
- a letter from Nikolayev to the Russian section of the “Voice of America” radio station,
- a typewritten copy of A. Amalrik’s book Will the Soviet Union Survive until 1984?
- three brochures in foreign languages,
- two brochures of the Possev publishing-house,
- 11 copies of the initial pages of Chronicle No. 53,
- various handwritten and typewritten documents and materials (3,149 sheets found in 12 folders).
- Forty-one exercise books, a photographic enlarger, two typewriters, notebooks and 22 tape-cassettes were confiscated.
Also taken was a photocopy of Nikolayev’s book They Betrayed Hippocrates.
As early as October 1979, when he discovered that the manuscript of this book had been confiscated during a search, Nikolayev requested the USSR Ministry of Health to publish it.
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On 18 January 1980, Georgy Fedotov, who informed foreign correspondents of Dudko’s arrest, was arrested in Moscow (this issue CCE 56.13).
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Statements
In connection with the arrest of Father Dudko the Christian Committee published an “Appeal to the Christian Public”:
“…The pastoral activity of Father Dmitry has become a powerful stimulus in the spiritual renaissance of Russia. Therefore, the authorities have decided to put an end to it. His spiritual feat has been crowned with the cross of his faith.
“We think that the arrest of Father Dmitry, together with the arrest of Father Gleb Yakunin and Lev Regelson and other activists of the Religious Revival, is the beginning of new, undisguised persecution of Christianity in Russia. There will probably be more and more arrests to follow. Yet, however cruel the authorities might be, they will not succeed in crushing the spiritual revival which has begun, or in killing the living Christian spirit in Russia. All they can achieve is irreparable harm to themselves.
“At this hour of ordeals, we appeal to our brothers throughout the world to remember the Christians of Russia and to be with the persecuted in their prayers and their deeds.”
*
Document 118 of the Moscow Helsinki Group, released on 10 January 1980, concerns the arrests of Lev Regelson (CCE 55.2-4) and the priest Dmitry Dudko:
“The name of Father Dmitry is widely known amongst Orthodox believers both in our country and abroad. He is a passionate adherent of the Christian faith and an ardent religious preacher.
“Father Dmitry has done only good for people, and has preached goodness without fear of persecution or victimization on the part of the authorities.
“Father Dmitry Dudko is ‘guilty’ only of preaching God’s Word, It is for this that he has been imprisoned. His relatives and friends have not been informed what specific charges have been made against him …“
Dmitry Dudko (1922-2004)
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NOTE
- Earlier Chronicle reports about Father Dmitry Dudko:
dismissal 1972 (CCE 27.12 [18]); dismissal 1974 (CCE 32.20); again “left without a parish” 1975 (CCE 38.17); parishioners protest 1976 (CCE 39.7), Dudko and Ogorodnikov 1976 (CCE 43.9); press conference at Dudko’s flat 1977 (CCE 46.20); Easter self-defence force 1978 (CCE 49.14-1); interrogation 1979 (CCE 55.2-3).
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(full tagged list of Dudko reports in the Chronicle.)
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A Chronicle of Current Events 