Supporters of state-affiliated clergy persist in their assaults on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

According to posts on social media affiliated with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), there have been reports of a violent takeover of the Kazan temple in the city of Ladyzhyn, Vinnytsia region, by adherents of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).

Parishioners claimed to the police that they were forcibly ejected “bare into the cold” during the night, while Father Yevhen Vorobiev was reportedly assaulted, evident from the visible blood on his temple in video footage. Videos also depict the breaching of the church’s barriers using a bulldozer. This incident isn’t the first attempt to seize this particular church. On November 10, 2023, a meeting of OCU supporters took place in Ladyzhyn, where they voted to transfer the Kazan parish. Subsequently, on November 13, another meeting was held within the church where congregants voted to remain aligned with the UOC.

The OCU, established in 2018 with government support, aims to discredit and induce parishioners to disassociate from the ancient Ukrainian Orthodox Church. As it operates independently from governmental influence and advocates for peace.