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UOC-MP churches destroyed by Russia number hundreds

"The Ukrainian government is engaged in god-fighting." This is one of the key narratives used by Russian propaganda on the church issue. Allegedly, our authorities are oppressing representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which no longer supposedly belongs to the Moscow Patriarchate, in favour of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine(OCU), and not because it is full of traitors, collaborators and werewolves in cassocks. The UOC-MP gladly supports these narratives.

Yet, by a strange irony, the true god-fighters are the Russians who are physically destroying the churches of the UOC-MP. Most of the more than 400 religious buildings that have suffered since the start of the full-scale invasion belong to the UOC-MP. More than 80 churches have been destroyed to the ground. The Donetsk (37 churches) and Severodonetsk (17) dioceses of the UOC have suffered the most. More than 200 churches have been damaged.

In total, the occupiers destroyed eight monasteries, seven were damaged, all of them in Donetsk Region. More than 20 clergymen of the UOC were killed or wounded.

We will take you on a short tour to tell you about the UOC-MP churches and monasteries that suffered at the hands of "brothers in faith".

Consequences of the shelling of the Svyatohirsk Lavra
Photo: EPA/UPG
Consequences of the shelling of the Svyatohirsk Lavra

Donetsk Region

The Svyatohirsk Lavra suffered the most. The town of Svyatohirsk was under occupation. The monastery, which is located on the other side of the river, was not. However, it was regularly hit (five times in July alone). The All Saints' Skete (located at a certain distance from the main buildings), a real gem of this place, a unique example of modern wooden architecture, burned down completely. Only the foundation remains.

The destroyed All Saints' Skete of the Svyatohirsk Holy Dormition Lavra
Photo: Social media
The destroyed All Saints' Skete of the Svyatohirsk Holy Dormition Lavra
 

After the liberation of these territories, the monks told the locals: if Ukraine had not defended itself, none of this would have happened. In 2014, by the way, the same thing happened. Igor Girkin's militants hid and amassed weapons in the Svyatohirsk Lavra before storming Slovyansk. The monks did not see anything wrong in this.

The Svyatohirsk Holy Dormition Lavra
Photo: Social media
The Svyatohirsk Holy Dormition Lavra
 

The main buildings of another large monastery near Donetsk, the Holy Dormition Mykola-Vasylivskyy Monastery, known for being founded by Viktor Yanukovych's "confessor", Father Zosima (Sokur), were practically destroyed. He is the one the entire Donetsk "elite" of the early noughties used to go to. The one who allegedly raised his hand from the coffin and stroked Viktor Fedorovych's head three times as Yanukovych bent down to say goodbye. You're laughing, but Yanukovych said this in an interview.

In short, the monastery was hit very hard.

The Holy Dormition Monastery in Mykilske after Russian shelling
Photo: volnovakha.city
The Holy Dormition Monastery in Mykilske after Russian shelling

The Annunciation Church of the UOC-MP in Bakhmut, the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Maryinka, and the once very beautiful and elegant Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Horlivka Diocese of the UOC-MP in Novoekonomichne were also heavily damaged by shelling.

The Annunciation Church in Bakhmut
Photo: Social media
The Annunciation Church in Bakhmut
 

Luhansk Region

Back in the first days of the great war, the occupiers razed the St Catherine's Church of the UOC-MP in the town of Shchastya to the ground.

The Russians ruined St Catherine's Church in Shchastya on 27-28 February 2022
Photo: Social media
The Russians ruined St Catherine's Church in Shchastya on 27-28 February 2022
 

In March 2022, the Church of St Matrona of Moscow in Rubizhne was destroyed. A small, pretty chapel (not even half of it remained) in honour of the Pochayiv icon of the Mother of God was also destroyed. There was also a church in honour of St Luke of Crimea.

The destroyed Church of St Matrona of Moscow in Rubizhne, the UOC Severodonetsk diocese
Photo: Social media
The destroyed Church of St Matrona of Moscow in Rubizhne, the UOC Severodonetsk diocese

The destroyed chapel in honour of the Pochayiv icon of the Mother of God (Rubizhne)
Photo: Social media
The destroyed chapel in honour of the Pochayiv icon of the Mother of God (Rubizhne)

The damaged church in honour of St Luke of Crimea in Rubizhne, the Severodonetsk diocese
Photo: Social media
The damaged church in honour of St Luke of Crimea in Rubizhne, the Severodonetsk diocese
 

The Christ the Nativity Cathedral in Severodonetsk was severely damaged in April 2022.

At the same time, the St Illya Monastery in the village of Varvarivka was razed to the ground.

The Christ the Nativity Cathedral in Severodonetsk, the Severodonetsk diocese
Photo: Social media
The Christ the Nativity Cathedral in Severodonetsk, the Severodonetsk diocese
 

The St Illya Monastery of the Severodonetsk diocese in Varvarivka
Photo: Social media
The St Illya Monastery of the Severodonetsk diocese in Varvarivka

The St Illya Monastery of the Severodonetsk diocese in Varvarivka
Photo: Social media
The St Illya Monastery of the Severodonetsk diocese in Varvarivka
 

The Church of the Three Ecumenical Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom in Popasna was hit in May. There is no roof, and the main structures were severely damaged.

The Church of the Three Ecumenical Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom in Popasna
Photo: Social media
The Church of the Three Ecumenical Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom in Popasna

 

The St. Mytrofan's Church in Lysychansk was destroyed in June. Tthe building completely burnt out and is likely beyond repair.

The UOC's St. Mytrofan's Church in Lysychansk, the Severodonetsk diocese
Photo: Social media
The UOC's St. Mytrofan's Church in Lysychansk, the Severodonetsk diocese

 

The churches of St. Righteous Tavifa of Joppa (Voronove village) and St. Nicholas (Borive village) of the same Severodonetsk diocese of the UOC were damaged.

The damaged Church of St Tavifa of Joppa in Voronove, the Severodonetsk diocese
Photo: Social media
The damaged Church of St Tavifa of Joppa in Voronove, the Severodonetsk diocese
 

The damaged St Nicholas Church in Borivske, the Severodonetsk diocese
Photo: Social media
The damaged St Nicholas Church in Borivske, the Severodonetsk diocese

The damaged St Nicholas Church in Borivske, the Severodonetsk diocese
Photo: Social media
The damaged St Nicholas Church in Borivske, the Severodonetsk diocese
 

Kherson Region

The Russians occupied the region literally in the first days of the great war, but this did not protect the local churches of the UOC-MP. It is worth mentioning the completely destroyed Holy Trinity Church in the village of Osokorivka of the Nova Kakhovka diocese and the systematic shelling of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Kherson diocese. A parishioner was killed in one of the shellings, right in the yard.

The destroyed Holy Trinity Church in Osokorivka
Photo: Social media
The destroyed Holy Trinity Church in Osokorivka
 

In early 2023, after the de-occupation, the territory of the Kherson Diocesan Administration of the UOC came under fire. One shell hit the house church and pierced the roof, while another exploded nearby and damaged the facade and the interior.

Consequences of shelling at the UOC Kherson Diocesan Administration
Photo: Social media
Consequences of shelling at the UOC Kherson Diocesan Administration
 

Chernihiv Region

During the occupation (from February to April 2022), the Russians destroyed the Ascension Church of the Chernihiv diocese of the UOC in Lukashivka village.

At first, they stored ammunition there, and then simply burned it down. To the ground.

The remains of the Ascension Church of the Chernihiv diocese
Photo: Social media
The remains of the Ascension Church of the Chernihiv diocese
 

When one Chernihiv cemetery (where the townspeople were being buried) was hit in March, the Theodosius Church caught fire. It is unlikely to be restored.

The Theodosius Church
Photo: Social media
The Theodosius Church
 

Kharkiv Region

The village of Kurylivka in Izyum District had a very beautiful, special church in honour of John the Theologian, which had the status of a monument of urban planning and architecture as one of the oldest wooden churches in the historical region of Slobozhanshchyna.

Not even ashes remain of it.

Sumy Region

On 26 February, the occupiers launched a missile attack that damaged the St George's Church of the UOC-MP in Okhtyrka.

The Stavropegial Monastery of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village of Sosnivka suffered a little later, with the administrative building and outbuildings destroyed.

The St George's Church of the UOC-MP in Okhtyrka
Photo: Social media
The St George's Church of the UOC-MP in Okhtyrka
 

Vinnytsya Region

The Church of St George the Victorious in Vinnytsya was severely damaged. The windows of the lower church, the Sunday school, the domes and the outbuildings were damaged.

The Church of St George the Victorious before and after the shelling
Photo: Social media
The Church of St George the Victorious before and after the shelling
 

Zhytomyr Region

The chapel of the Holy Protection Church of the UOC-MP in Malyn was completely destroyed. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in the village of Vyazivka suffered significant damage.

Photo: Social media

Odesa Region

The building of the Holy Iveron Monastery of the UOC-MP in Odesa was hit four times (!). The Church of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, the Department for Monasteries of the Diocesan Administration of the Odesa Diocese of the UOC, a Sunday school, and a monastic dormitory are located here. The latest shelling in late March miraculously did not kill anyone, but four people were wounded.

Photo: Social media

***

Unfortunately, this list is far from complete. It could go on and on. It best shows the true face of the "Russian world", but even this cannot convince the supreme clergy of the UOC-MP to give up their ties with their Moscow patrons.

Sonya KoshkinaSonya Koshkina, LB.ua editor in chief
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