KRASNOYARSK, September 22. /TASS/. The leaders of a religious group, the "Church of the Last Testament," also known as Vissarion’s community, have been detained in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Region, in East Siberia, a source in the region’s law enforcement agencies told TASS.
Among those detained is the founder of the religious group, Sergei Torop, who calls himself Vissarion, as well as other leaders of the "Church of the Last Testament" based in the Kuraginsky district - Vadim Redkin and Vladimir Vedernikov.
"Since early morning investigative activities have been underway in the south of the Krasnoyarsk Region," the source said. According to him, the search is being carried out in the houses of the leaders and members of the religious group.
A citizen of Petropavlovka village in the Kuraginsky district told TASS that the special operation involved helicopters and automatic riflemen. Vedernikov was apprehended in Petropavlovka, which is one of centers housing Vissarion’s supporters.
According to the local citizen, the security forces took away Torop and Redkin by helicopter, and Vedernikov by car. The residents reported that the convoys of cars carrying security forces were spotted on the roads. A member of Vissarion’s community Alexander Staroverov wrote on his Facebook page that there were 50 vehicles, including with medical workers.
The "Church of the Last Testament" was set up in 1991 by Sergei Torop, who calls himself Vissarion. In 1995 his followers founded a settlement in the Kuraginsky district dubbed Sun City. Its members also live in many settlements of the Kuraginsky and Karatuzsky districts in the south of the Krasnoyarsk Region.