The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (of the Moscow Patriarchate), Metropolitan Onufriy, has appointed Metropolitan Roman (Dmytro Kimovych) of Konotop and Hlukhiv as temporary head of the Diocese of Romny (Sumy Region) instead of fugitive Metropolitan Iosyf Maslennikov. This is stated in the decree of Metropolitan Onufriy of 17 October, which was published on Facebook by UOC priest Andriy Pinchuk.
"By Our decree of 17 October 2022, you are appointed temporary head of the Romny Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church," the document reads.
It should be noted that the Diocese of Romny unites parishes and monasteries in the territory of Buryn, Lypova Dolyna, Nedryhayliv, Romny communities of Sumy Region. Since 2013, it has been led by Iosyf (Maslennikov) of Romny and Buryn. However, with the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he sided with the occupiers and, according to open sources, is on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Earlier, Andriy Pinchuk, citing a video from the Russian media, wrote that Maslennikov took part in a service on 25 September in the city of Verkhoturya, Sverdlovsk Region.
Earlier, Onufriy replaced fugitive Metropolitan Yelysey (Metropolitan of Izyum and Kupyansk), appointing a bishop from a neighboring diocese to lead the local diocese.