FEARS were raised today over the safety of a priest who was kidnapped by Ukrainian nationalists after his church in the central town of Smila was ransacked on Monday evening. 

Video footage showed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church being stormed by the so-called territorial defence, an armed group set up by Kiev prior to the Russian invasion.

They seized Vasily Miroshnichenko during the raid. Sources said today that his fate remains unknown.

He is the latest victim of a spate of abductions that have targeted communists, trade unionists and even the children of progressives in Ukraine, many of whom are accused of being “pro-Russian.”

As Western media outlets continue to downplay or outright deny the presence and influence of neonazis in Ukraine, the oppression of left forces continues unabated.

International trade unions have so far failed to respond to an urgent appeal for more information and the immediate release of miners’ leader Yuriy Bobchenko, who disappeared after a raid on his home 11 days ago.

And the European Union has ignored an urgent question regarding Alexander and Mikhail Kononovich, two members of the Ukrainian Communist Party youth wing jailed earlier this month.

Peace talks opened in Istanbul today amid hopes of an end to four weeks of hostilities. 

Billionaire Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was in attendance; the Kremlin has denied allegations he had been poisoned during a previous round of talks.

The claims were made by Bellingcat, a self-styled “people’s CIA” which has been funded by the European Union and the US National Endowment for Democracy.

Russia has reportedly agreed to “fundamentally cut back” operations and the bombing of Kiev to “increase mutual trust.”

The Ukrainian delegation offered Russia a pledge of neutrality and a 15-year consultation period over the sovereignty of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.

A face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraininian President Volodymyr Zelensky could take place once a peace treaty has been agreed by the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers. 

The negotiations were opened by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, seen by critics as a bizarre choice for the chairing of peace talks given the accusations of war crimes against him, along with his alleged support for jihadist groups.

Some of the Islamists supported by Mr Erdogan are believed to be fighting in Ukraine, as reported by the Morning Star earlier this month.