In a massive blow against religious freedom and the canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine, the Ukrainian parliament on 10/19 passed the first reading of draft law number 8371 on the prohibition of religious organizations associated with the Russian Federation. The vote was a lopsided 267 to 15. The UOC sharply criticized the move, calling the ban on its activities a severe violation of human rights and religious freedoms which violates the European Convention on Human Rights. The UOC stated, “Undoubtedly, the adoption of this draft law will indicate that human rights and freedoms, for which our state is also fighting, are losing their meaning.” The UOC has confirmed it is taking steps to defend itself in courts by announcing the appointment of international lawyer Robert Amsterdam of Amsterdam & Partners LLP to lead the legal response to escalating attacks by the Government of Ukraine.
The passage of the draft law comes at a time of already increasing persecution. Ukraine’s Security Service has pursued 68 criminal cases, including accusations of treason, against UOC representatives since the war started. These cases have not only been against bishops and priests, but also against regular Ukrainians who support the UOC. The “evidence” in such prosecutions often amounts to calling for peace.
There have also been beatings, blockades of religious sites, seizure of Churches and monasteries, destruction of Churches, and so much more. Orthodox Reflections has regularly written about the ongoing persecution. If you would like to learn more, we suggest the following articles:
- The Essential Role of Patriarch Bartholomew in Worsening Ukrainian Persecution
- How Will the Martyrdom of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Impact the World?
- The Ukrainian Orthodox Church Suffers with Christ
- President Zelenskyy, God and the Whole (Orthodox) World Are Watching
- The Persecuted Church in Ukraine: Have We Lost Our Courage?
- 8 Lies Told by Enemies of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Despite our best efforts, those only begin to scratch the surface of how bad the situation is for the Orthodox Faithful in Ukraine. Glory to God, despite all the persecution, the UOC is still acknowledged to be the largest Church in Ukraine. She still dwarfs the OCU, which is considered to be “official” by the Kiev regime. Hundreds of thousands of serving Ukrainian soldiers belong to a Church their own government is persecuting, and is now trying to ban outright. UOC priests have sons and daughters serving in the armed forces of Ukraine. The UOC cut off all ties with Moscow in May of 2022, has condemned the Russian invasion, prays for the Ukrainian Armed forces, materially supports the war efforts, and has helped countless refugees. None of that matters to Zelenskyy and the ultranationalists in Kiev. It is increasingly clear, that no matter what the UOC does to support Ukraine in this war, it will never be enough. The UOC can never be the ethnonationalist organization the government wants as a propaganda prop. The UOC is the Church of Jesus Christ. Her job is to transform the world for the Glory of God, not preach a message of hate dictated by the radicals ruling in Kiev.
Even if the law is adopted after a second reading, the UOC is likely to survive on some level simply because of her size. However, expect the persecution to dramatically worsen. Zerohedge made this point in its reporting of the vote:
If this new move to impose an outright ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church goes through, this means church seizures and the arrests of clergymen by the state will only increase, as Zelensky is now waging war not just on the invading Russians, but on Orthodox Christians within Ukraine itself.
The demonic nature of this move has already been noted by Orthodox leaders. Russian Orthodox Bishop Savva of Zelenograd’s reaction to the Ukrainian ban on the Orthodox Church: “Ukrainian politicians have confirmed they they are following & walking the path of Lenin… …their demonic convulsions have become more extreme”.
Worldwide, most Orthodox hierarchs support the UOC as the canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine. However, Patriarch Bartholomew does not. His All-Holiness played a significant role in enabling this persecution, and he fully endorses it. On October 15, 2023, after the liturgy at the Cathedral of the Holy Apostles Andrew and Great Martyr Dimitri, Patriarch Bartholomew told the clergy of the Spanish and Portuguese Metropolis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate that he considers the criminal prosecution of UOC hierarchs to be fair and justified. Patriarch Bartholomew previously referred to violent seizures of UOC parishes as those parishes voluntarily changing to his demonic creation, the OCU. We must never forget the role Constantinople has played in this horror.
So now what? As Americans, we need to speak up. Immediately. Please keep four things in mind as we do. 1) We have some time before the second reading. 2) Ukraine is 100% dependent on money from the US. Ukraine can’t ban the UOC if the US says not to. 3) The Ukraine War has never been popular with Americans, and is even less of a priority given the war in the Middle East. 4) The political situation in the US is in total disarray. Politicians are running scared. The Republican Party can’t even put a Speaker of the House in office. Their fear is our opportunity.
ROCOR Archbishop Peter of Chicago has asked us to write letters to our Representatives and Senators to urge them to stand against Ukraine Draft Bill 8371. This is a good idea. Please do it immediately. Details from the Archbishop are below. We don’t have much time. Also, please post the names of the representatives and senators you contact in a comment below this article so we can keep track and support each other. Please tell as many people as possible about this effort. We need a mass outpouring of support if we expect to change the opinion of the US Government.
A final request. We have two active petitions on the persecution of the UOC. One specifically addresses the role of Patriarch Bartholomew. The other calls for an end to the international silence over the persecution of the UOC. Combined, they have over 6,780 signatures. The two petitions are below the instructions from Archbishop Peter. The letter writing is more important right now, but we do publicize the petitions as well. If you could sign them, we would be most appreciative. The verbiage will be updated shortly to reflect the draft law.
—OR Staff
Please Write Your Senators and Representatives
Archbishop Peter of Chicago has asked us to write letters to our Representatives and Senators to urge them to stand against Ukraine Draft Bill 8371 aimed at restricting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Below you will find information to aid you in completing this task asked of us.
Find the name and address of your Senators and Representatives:
a. Find your Senators: senate.gov/senators/senat
b. Find your Representatives: house.gov/representative
What to Say:
Introduce yourself as their constituent. It is best to write your introduction with a brief summary of your views, background, etc., and why this issue is important to you.
Be clear and concise when delivering your message and request to policymakers. What is it you want them to do? How does their choice to act or not act, impact you and/or your family?
In closing, be sure to reiterate specifically what you are asking them to do:
Example: “I urge you to stand against the adoption of Ukraine Draft Law Number 8371, and similar bills, which could adversely impact Ukraine’s unity and religious freedoms.”
From personal experience in the Legislature, please understand that letters they receive that are mass duplications of the same message that DO NOT CONTAIN a personal message are frequently ignored.
Please ensure your introduction and closing are uniquely YOUR VOICE, to ensure we have a strong impact.
Please make sure you cite the bill to provide clarity Ukraine Draft law number 8371 on the prohibition of religious organizations associated with the Russian Federation. Be sure to include the below text Archbishop Peter of Chicago has asked us to include, verbatim.
“During the ongoing war in Ukraine, the country faces a crucial test, where unity and internal resilience are vital to overcome complex challenges. Proposed legislation aimed at restricting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will divert us from the goals of unity and freedom of religion.
It is essential to focus efforts on combating corruption and supporting national unity, ensuring every citizen’s right to freely embrace their religious identity. We strongly urge against the adoption of these bills, which could adversely impact Ukraine’s unity and religious freedoms.”
Both of our active petitions are below. The list of previous signatures follow the two petitions.
We Demand an End to Christian Persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
We Condemn the Actions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople for Its Role in the Persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Signatures for We Demand an End to Christian Persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
United States 
France 
Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine France 
Australia 
Lebanon United States United States 
Romania 
India 
United Kingdom 
Canada United States United States United States United States United States United States United States 
?? United States United States United States United States ?? ?? 
Serbia United States United States United States United States United States Romania ?? United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States Russian Federation United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States ?? United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United Kingdom ?? United States Ukraine United States United States United States France 
Switzerland Canada United States United States United States United States United Kingdom United States United States United States United States United States 
Greece ?? Ukraine Ukraine United States United States United Kingdom Ukraine Ukraine United States 
Italy ?? Ukraine United States United States Italy Canada Canada United States United Kingdom United States United Kingdom United States United Kingdom United States United States Australia France Ukraine United States ?? Ukraine France Ukraine Ukraine 
Mexico Ukraine Australia United States Ukraine United States ?? Ukraine 
Germany United States United States United States United States Australia ?? United Kingdom ??
Signatures for We Condemn the Actions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople for Its Role in the Persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
United States France United States France ?? 
Netherlands Australia Australia 
Brazil United States United States United States United Kingdom ?? Canada 
Indonesia Ukraine Ukraine Romania ?? ?? Ukraine Australia ?? Ukraine ?? Ukraine ?? ?? ?? ?? United States ?? ?? ?? United States ?? United States United States Germany United States United States ?? ?? ?? Ukraine United States Ukraine ?? ?? ?? ?? 
Belgium ?? ?? Ukraine United States ?? Canada United States United States United States United States Belgium United States United States ?? United States ?? United States United States Ukraine ?? United States United States Russian Federation United States United States United States United States United States Netherlands ?? United States ?? United States ?? Canada United Kingdom United States United States ?? United States ?? United States United States United Kingdom ?? United States ?? 
Denmark United Kingdom United States United States United States France United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States ?? United States United States United States ?? United States 
Puerto Rico Canada United States Ukraine United States United States India ?? United States ?? United States United States United States ?? United States Canada United States Romania United States ?? ?? United States ?? France ?? 
https://spzh.eu/en/news/84000-14-sriminal-sases-initiated-against-cherkasy-cathedral-seizure-perpetrators
12 January, 2025
14 сriminal сases initiated against Cherkasy cathedral seizure perpetrators
The police are delaying the investigation and attempting to reclassify the cases under lesser charges.Fourteen criminal cases have been initiated against the gang that carried out a violent attack during the seizure of the UOC Cathedral in Cherkasy, reported Archpriest Heorhiy Pohranichny, head of the legal department of the Cherkasy Diocese, to First Cossack.
At the same time, according to the legal expert, the police are deliberately delaying the investigation and attempting to reclassify the cases to lesser charges.
“It is unacceptable to classify injuries such as a broken femur of a hieromonk, or the injuries of a deacon who ‘luckily’ lost six teeth, as minor hooliganism. These injuries include fractured ankles and ribs, yet they are currently being classified as minor,” said the priest. He also noted the shooting incident involving OCU activist Davyd Pshenychny, who fired a traumatic weapon at the cathedral cashier Maria Preshchakova, who narrowly avoided losing her eye.
“As for individuals with moderate and severe injuries, such as fractured ankles, broken ribs, and lost teeth, they are undergoing rehabilitation. For the hieromonk, the situation is particularly serious due to his advanced age. A broken femur at such an age is extremely difficult to heal, and he is still undergoing preparatory procedures for a complex surgery,” said Father Heorhiy. Additionally, dozens of people suffered eye burns from tear gas during the incident.
The legal expert emphasized that diocesan lawyers provided police with video evidence of the brawl, clearly showing the involvement of OCU chaplains, including Nazariy Zasadskiy. However, law enforcement officials have neither included them as suspects nor participants in the criminal cases.
Father Heorhiy also noted that the police are trying to reclassify the case under Article 296 of the Criminal Code – minor hooliganism – while diocesan lawyers believe the actions of the perpetrators should be qualified as robbery, if not more serious offenses.
“Despite everything, the police are trying to split these cases into multiple, fragmented parts, rather than consolidating them into a single investigation. They likely hope that the complainants will eventually withdraw their statements, despite already having victim status in the case,” said the legal expert.
Regarding attempts by the authorities and the OCU to legalize the cathedral seizure, Father Heorhiy called the situation absurd.
He stated that the authorities attributed the cathedral to a so-called “Nativity of Christ” community, which they “re-registered.” According to him, this fictitious parish, along with others used by authorities in similar cases, exists only on paper, with no known real activity.
The UOC priest stressed that “the St. Michael’s Cathedral never belonged to a parish; it was under the direct management of the Cherkasy Eparchy. Therefore, re-registering it as such is legally impossible.”
“In order to seize the cathedral, one must first remove its rightful owner. The rightful owner is the administration of the Cherkasy Eparchy. Legally transferring the property to the city’s ownership through a council session or similar means is impossible. It requires proving that the rightful owner no longer exists or has disappeared without responding to public invitations. However, this will not happen because the clergy and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Cherkasy remain present. They are here, visible, and daily demonstrate their faith,” stated Father Heorhiy.
He added that local authorities are now putting on a show of active management around the cathedral, trying to justify the seizure.
“As for the new ‘owners,’ we see them trying to exploit whatever is available. Some items are already being removed, including construction materials, which is being documented. The city council is also pretending to show concern for the park by cutting down trees and installing benches – something it ignored for years. It is clear this is all a demonstration meant to reduce tensions and distract with other factors,” the priest concluded.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the UN is awaiting a response from Ukrainian authorities regarding the seizure of the UOC cathedral in Cherkasy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrElCmOwqkg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRD6b_VgzWU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRERG9Sq_2M
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YWhPXcHs4Rk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTNeHyEAI7w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sHWfEvCRzs&t=16s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpNPQ09jfb4&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwMgtm5wH3M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i-uNQAiRDQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsS_EvV-_Bg&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrElCmOwqkg&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgXfLYvf4xA&t=5s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF14X1_JpJE&t=16s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_Fqf691UcY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLEBUhm_Mu8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P95GPHH321w&t=7s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoSmgTsbnPs&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA1YcF7b5Ts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWMSmD3sgC8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeKAJFuXzuM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EshmmwBP2n0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_0_pmePurA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF14X1_JpJE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBGOAoHf3vc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Liuay9V-BVk&t=5s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClwsnWjdG7I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUwEYWl7ZkA&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elE4uzg830o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2pEYE4vn5E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0PhZNFddCk
15 November 2022
Poroshenko Channel Propagandist Calls on Authorities to Ban UOC in Ukraine
Journalist Yanina Sokolova proposes recognizing the UOC as an accomplice of a terrorist state. Yanina Sokolova, an employee of Poroshenko’s “5 Channel”, appealed to the country’s leadership with a proposal to ban the UOC in Ukraine. According to Sokolova, the reason for her appeal was a video from the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, in which pilgrims sing the song “Song of the Most Holy Mother of God”, which includes the words “Mother Rus’ is awakening”.
As another justification, Sokolova stated that the UOC allegedly “financially supports the enemy”: “More than once, requests for money for the existence of such churches resulted in the fact that money from these churches was allocated for weapons.” “I still don’t understand why this hasn’t been done yet, what is it: an unwillingness to anger the enemy or to cause some kind of dissonance within society,” said journalist Yanina Sokolova.
She called for the UOC to cease to exist as an “unsafe religious organization that threatens the territorial integrity of the country” and to recognize the Church as an accomplice of a terrorist state. “And I want to tell the Moscow priests only one thing: go to Moscow!” the “5 Channel” employee concluded her speech. Earlier, the Union of Orthodox Journalists reported that a member of parliament from the “EU” demanded that the monks be forcibly expelled from the Lavra and handed over to the OCU.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxqI6TA6DnY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2JRDafG3H8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P22_4Kp-ihY&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-ir9HaQFQ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrRP_dA6-L8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D04TIpf4FYU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTKCPIOuBoI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWoMzcvfqXs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdF9aIAKHC4&t=4s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSjdj1oRic8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqvcEkLH2Mc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxHgnoQuI18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRKm2uPUHzQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWAxNmr7GIo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsie7P0nOhM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxX5ZW-OjYk&t=6s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWN2iGy1jtE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMrtIWqFCC8
“The Kremlin hand” in the people’s pockets: who are they, UOC persecutors?
Too often those who attack the UOC the most turn out to be corruptionists or people with guilty consciences. Why?
Persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in recent years has become part of the state’s systemic policy. We have often heard that the necessity of banning the UOC is a “matter of national security”. Deputies and politicians at all levels, followed by many Ukrainians, are convinced that it is impossible to be both a patriot of Ukraine and a member of the UOC at the same time. However, as it turns out, those who most loudly proclaim the defense of national interests are often the ones who are not averse to stealing a substantial sum from the people under the cover of these very cries.
Disguising their actions with rhetoric about national security, officials pursue purely mercenary goals – lining their pockets. The accusations against the Church for numerous violations are simply a diversion from their own crimes.
In this article, we will present several examples of how officials, who have been most outspoken against the Church, later found themselves either in the dock, under suspicion, involved in dubious schemes and machinations, or abroad.
Maxym Kozytsky, head of the Lviv Regional Military AdministrationHe became known for his loud statements against the UOC. It was Kozytsky who was behind the almost complete destruction of the UOC in the Lviv region, including the physical demolition of St Volodymyr’s Church in Lviv. At the end of November, he pathetically declared that there were no longer any UOC communities left in the Lviv region. Today, it is known that Kozytsky is suspected of embezzling millions of hryvnias in humanitarian aid, constructing a “family” road worth 25 million hryvnias leading to a resort owned by his father, as well as having indirect ties with the Russian “Gazprom”.
Anatoliy Bondarenko, Mayor of CherkasyCherkasy became notorious for the most shocking and bloody clashes during the “voluntary transfers” to the OCU. First, the seizure of the Nativity of the Virgin Monastery in 2023, and then the seizure of the Archangel Michael Cathedral. The whole world saw footage of UOC believers and clergy being brutally beaten by OCU activists when their legs, arms, and jaws were broken, when they were gassed and shot at with traumatic weapons.
Naturally, all this would have been impossible without the support of the city leadership. However, Bondarenko not only did not hide this but even boasted of his involvement in the seizures. In particular, after the seizure of the cathedral, the OCU elected him as the head of the parish council. And just before the takeover, the mayor personally announced its “transfer” to the OCU.
Why such activity? The fact is that Bondarenko has long been accused of corruption. Back in 2017, the Prosecutor’s Office issued him a notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (“Abuse of power”) for illegal enrichment worth several million. Publications about this appeared on the all-Ukrainian “Suspilne”. Prior to this, local journalists from “Lakmus” and “1800” relentlessly questioned the mayor about his huge estate on the bank of the Dnieper River, the land for which he had bought at bargain basement prices. The entire city is buzzing about Bondarenko’s schemes. Apparently, through bloody attacks on “Moscow priests”, the mayor decided to prove his patriotism and silence his critics.
Former Mayor of Rivne, Oleksandr TretiakWhile holding office as mayor, Tretiak ran an active campaign against the UOC, strongly supporting the forced “transfers” of communities to the OCU. At the same time, his public service was tainted by corruption scandals. According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), Tretiak was accused of “violating the requirements for preventing and resolving conflicts of interest”. In particular, he paid additional bonuses and salaries to the office staff of the city council, for which the court removed him from his position for one year.
It is noteworthy that just one year after taking office as mayor of Rivne, Tretiak bought a house at half the market value, partly financed by a consumer loan from Oschadbank for 30 years. The official told journalists he had bought the house for less than 3 million hryvnias, or about 90,000 dollars. However, it later emerged that the same house had been sold just a month earlier for 220,000 dollars.
Fedir Androshchuk, head of the National Museum of Ukraine’s HistoryIt was Androshchuk who oversaw the demolition of the Tithe (Desiatynnyi) Monastery, calling it “rubbish”. He also organised fundraising for the demolition of the shrine. On his Facebook page, Androshchuk wrote: “It will be very symbolic to finish this clean-up by Easter! Therefore, we ask all concerned citizens to support the fundraising. Let’s protect our history and culture together!”
After some time, he left the country. According to MP Solomiya Bobrovska, Androshchuk went on a business trip and disappeared. “Apparently, he took advantage of his other citizenships (why he has them is another question), went on a trip to Italy and Sweden, and according to the response to my parliamentary inquiry, he went missing at the opening of an exhibition in Lithuania,” Bobrovska wrote. No one has explained how a high-ranking official, in violation of Ukrainian law, holds another citizenship.
Meanwhile, Androshchuk stated that he lives and works in Sweden, whose citizen he is and where he pays taxes. In other words, the official who was involved in the demolition of our sacred sites had no intention of living in Ukraine. He has held the passport of another state (in this case, Sweden) for several years.
Oleksandr Supruniuk, Mayor of NetishynSupruniuk became ill-famed for his harsh attacks on the UOC. He publicly referred to the Church as “biological weapons” and actively supported the seizure of temples. Subsequently, it turned out that his activities were aimed solely at personal enrichment. The situation is aggravated by the fact that Supruniuk profited from the war. For example, drones purchased by the executive committee of the Netishyn City Council at Supruniuk’s behest for over 20 million hryvnias contained components much cheaper than those declared, causing a loss to the budget of more than 6 million hryvnias.
Serhiy Hamaliyi, former Head of the Khmelnytskyi Regional AdministrationHamaliy is another “patriot-foreigner” on our list. According to media reports, he holds a Polish passport, a fact he concealed when appointed to his position. He also kept his long-standing connections with the criminal world under wraps. In 1997, law enforcement detained him for drug possession and racketeering as part of a criminal group. As head of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Military Administration, Serhiy Hamaliy actively organized the transfer of UOC communities to the OCU. His methods included forging believers’ signatures and using administrative pressure. Over 30 complaints from UOC believers were submitted to the courts, reporting coercion to “transfers”. On 14 March 2023, Hamaliy was dismissed from his position following a scandal involving drunk driving. A few months later, he made his declaration public, revealing that he earned 17 million hryvnias in 2023 and that his wife had purchased a 180-square-metre house in Poland.
Oleksandr Symchyshyn, Mayor of KhmelnytskyiSymchyshyn is well known for his aggressive attacks on the UOC. In the spring of 2023, Khmelnytskyi became a record-breaker for the number of temples transferred to the OCU, carried oud by Symchyshyn’s administration and, of course, with his knowledge. He also found himself at the centre of a corruption scandal.
But even here, the “refined patriot” turned out to be a corrupt official. He implemented a scheme “straight from the repertoire” of Ostap Bender: the city takes out a loan for a waste processing plant, which is paid off from the city budget, and then waste removal companies raise their prices. This created a situation where the city’s residents paid twice, and the potential amount of embezzlement exceeded one billion hryvnias. Meanwhile, the declared loan amount was 28.5 million euros, while the total cost of the project was 36.5 million euros. This discrepancy attracted the attention of representatives from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Mykhailo Holovko, head of the Ternopil Regional Military AdministrationMykhailo Holovko made highly expressive calls to the central government to transfer the Pochaiv Lavra to the local council. Why? To expel the UOC from there and hand it over to the Uniates. He stated that the regional council would initiate an appeal to Kyiv to transfer the Pochaiv Lavra into the ownership of the regional community. “And we will already find a way to expel the Russian Church from there, we will find a way to break the contract,” Holovko promised.
He made this statement on 21 June 2023, and just five days later, on 26 June, Holovko was arrested for extorting nearly 1.8 million hryvnias from a volunteer in exchange for signing completion acts for construction and repair work on municipal facilities.
Conclusions: Corruption and persecution of the Church as related phenomenaWe have presented only seven examples of the most prominent “patriot-corruptionists”. In reality, there are many more. Their tactics are simple yet highly effective – to pit the people against each other to distract them from their shady dealings. There is a cartoon on the web that very accurately captures the essence of this strategy.
Thus, it becomes clear: the persecution of the UOC often serves as a “security smokescreen” for corrupt schemes. Shout about “Moscow priests”, and suddenly you are a refined patriot beyond any suspicion. Ukrainian officials act like skilled manipulators and con artists – with their talk of “agents in cassocks”, they simply distract public attention from their own crimes. By loudly proclaiming from high podiums that the Church should be banned, they create the illusion of fighting for national interests, while simultaneously increasing their personal wealth.
In other words, if you hear politicians claiming that the Church is the “Kremlin hand”, pay close attention to where their own hands are at that moment. Because in 99 out of 100 cases, those hands are reaching into your pockets.
https://spzh.eu/en/zashhita-very/83490-the-kremlin-hand-in-the-peoples-pockets-who-are-they-uoc-persecutors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Rjf3YZSA3c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLQfdxa4YUY&t=11s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P22_4Kp-ihY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdF9aIAKHC4&t=4s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P22_4Kp-ihY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsFFCIkDIzw
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LHLdN_2XARU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEy1RD8StNM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG20LfNrH3w&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNfXP9V-Tg0&t=238s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLUo5Cf7iOQ&t=46s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DhNsrvQNHc&t=11s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9TWlAOhPus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPnnza0VA5c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdlElx9-GDs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRuonVwPFTU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGk-H2wGeC4&t=3s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A3cBNSP33w&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_xtjiAu0bg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC1M6U2sibg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmvSXKejas0&t=8s
Zelensky: For the second time in new history, Christmas unites all Ukrainians
The President congratulated Ukrainians on the Nativity of the Lord.President Volodymyr Zelensky has extended Christmas greetings to Ukrainians, emphasizing that all Ukrainians are celebrating Christmas according to the Revised Julian calendar on December 25. The video message was published by the Office of the President.
“For the second time, we celebrate Christmas on the same date as one big family, one country. For the second time in modern history, Christmas unites all Ukrainians. Today we are side by side. And we will not get lost. Whether in person or in our minds, we will greet each other, call our parents, kiss our children, hug our loved ones, and remember those close to us. In person, from afar, or in our hearts – Ukrainians are together today. And as long as we do this, evil has no chance,” the head of state noted.
According to the president, the true spirit of Christmas lies in the unity and warmth that Ukrainians, despite challenges, preserve in their hearts and share with those around them. “This unique atmosphere is something we will keep within ourselves, no matter what, and share with those around us. With everyone we love. With everyone who is so dear to us,” he added.
https://spzh.eu/en/news/83690-zelensky-for-the-second-time-in-new-history-christmas-unites-all-ukrainians
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/I8O45lqT4Yk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-pKYjx5PNE&t=4s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eotBqHztVS8
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sBwBN-9Edfo
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/J-Pn53drxJU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkixpNm8kjM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWZgqUl3Puo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBhjolzI7jw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWy4pdz0oGE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGcm8noyWQ0
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WKMJjXbu0UI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY2s55u9ROg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY2s55u9ROg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPw7J7LYUt0&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNfXP9V-Tg0&t=238s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoSmgTsbnPs&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHkeoqysqV4&t=10s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTUTT_X8gL4&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z64iCncg3V0&t=115s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkq9jRCkvNg&t=6s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byASX5z5BZ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLPvqY4DCZ8
Another case opened against human rights activist Kokhanovska
A fourth charge has not yet been formally presented to the head of “Women’s Power of Ukraine”; the authorities limited their actions to a search.
On December 21, 2024 law enforcement conducted a search at the apartment of Orthodox human rights activist Viktoria Kokhanovska in connection with a fourth criminal case opened under Article 161, Part 1 (inciting religious enmity and hatred). Kokhanovska shared a video with her comments on the Women’s Power of Ukraine channel.
During the search, phones, flash drives, and laptops were confiscated. Kokhanovska claims that the new case was initiated because previous cases were “falling apart, and they need to create problems.” In the video, she states that the case was opened over a post by a priest’s wife, which Kokhanovska had shared on her social media.
The police came to Kohanovska’s home the day after a missile strike on Kyiv, during which her building was damaged.
Although a fourth charge has not been formally presented to the head of “Women’s Power of Ukraine,” investigators limited their actions to confiscating equipment. Kokhanovska’s status in the fourth criminal case remains undetermined.
As previously reported by the UOJ, on April 19, 2023, the investigative department of the Pechersk Police Department initiated a criminal case under Part 3 of Article 296 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (hooliganism) after Kokhanovska and other believers opened building No. 39 of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, which had been unlawfully sealed by reserve staff and law enforcement.
On the same day, police forcibly detained Kokhanovska near the Lavra. On April 21, she was placed under 24-hour house arrest and informed of charges under Article 161, Part 1 (inciting religious enmity and hatred).
On August 15, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) officers conducted a search at her apartment, and the following day, the SBU presented her with a new charge under Part 2 of Article 436-2 (denial of Russian aggression).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlxbH87kyAY&t=10s
https://spzh.eu/en/news/83661-another-case-opened-against-human-rights-activist-kokhanovska
President Volodymyr Zelensky: the story of one mistakeIn 2019, the Orthodox voted for Zelensky because they saw him as the antipode of Poroshenko. Today we have a completely different person in front of us. Why?
In December 2024, Ukraine was shaken by a scandal – a cooking show was filmed in the Refectory Church of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Many Ukrainians, including high-ranking representatives from various religious denominations, called this event sacrilegious. At the same time, the show’s producer, AKIM HALIMOV, instead of apologizing, suddenly attacked the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which was expelled from the Lavra’s Refectory Church nearly two years ago. AKIM HALIMOV referred to the UOC as “filth” and “Muscovites” and urged the authorities to “throw it out of our country”. At first glance, this seemed like the reaction of an emotionally unstable individual. However, this is not entirely the case. Halimov’s statement reflects the state of the ecclesiastical sphere in Ukraine as of the end of 2024.
The level of religious intolerance in Ukraine has reached a “red line”. This intolerance is directed exclusively at one (and the largest) religious denomination in the country – the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which nearly a quarter of modern Ukraine’s population identifies with, amounting to over 6 million people. Its communities are being systematically liquidated (the authorities in Lviv region have declared that they have completely cleansed the area of parishes belonging to this denomination). Its churches are being physically demolished (there are reported cases in Kyiv, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk). Furthermore, the country has been rocked by scandals involving the forcible transfer of churches from the UOC to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), which in practice often resemble militarized seizures. During such incidents, believers, priests, and even bishops sustain severe injuries. For instance, during the seizure of the cathedral in Cherkasy, Metropolitan Theodosius suffered a concussion after being struck with a bat, and parishioners were shot at with traumatic weapons by individuals in camouflage right inside the cathedral. Additionally, a special law, 3894–IX, has been drafted and enacted against the UOC, aiming to dismantle this denomination in one sweeping blow. In effect, the authorities have declared war on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and are conducting it by all the rules of military strategy.
Most political scientists and experts agree that behind all this looms the dark shadow of one person – President Volodymyr Zelensky. This is especially strange given that, at the beginning of his presidency, his position on religious matters was the exact opposite.
As a presidential candidate, in April 2019, he stated to RBC Ukraine: “The issue of religion is number one. We never discuss things that divide families and society. I never do that. Never.” After becoming president, he convincingly said that, regardless of religious affiliation, the main idea for Ukrainians should be to live with mutual respect: “Would it really matter to us which Church Kadeniuk or Lobanovsky go to?” And in a meeting with the believers of the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC in May 2019, Zelensky emphasised that “the state should not interfere with the Church”.
This position distinguished Zelensky favorably from his rival in the presidential elections, Petro Poroshenko (the sitting president at the time), who based his campaign on persecuting the believers of the UOC and aggressively promoting another Ukrainian denomination, the OCU. It was under Poroshenko’s presidency that the systematic persecution of UOC communities began, with the aim of forcing them to join the OCU.
Zelensky himself, while heading the popular comedy television project “95 Quarter”, mocked his opponent for this, referring to the Tomos (the document granting legitimacy to the OCU) as a “thermos”.
Thus, Volodymyr Zelensky positioned himself as a politician detached from church matters, which is quite in line with the provisions of the Ukrainian Constitution (it states that the Church is separated from the state).
As a result, it was Zelensky who won the 2019 election. Poroshenko, who had bet on the “Armovir” (Army-Faith-Language) slogans, suffered a resounding defeat. Thus, the new President could not fail to understand that using the religious issue for political purposes was not only illegal but also counterproductive. Nevertheless, by the end of 2024, we see that Zelensky has resumed the persecution of the UOC, doing it much tougher than his “teacher”. But at what point did the current President decide to change his policy towards the Church? And for what reasons?
Power and the UOC: a sudden 180-degree turnaround
Undoubtedly, the turning point was the war that Russia unleashed against Ukraine. However, the UOC showed in the very first hours of the war whose side they were on. On the first day of the invasion, Metropolitan Onuphry condemned Russia’s aggression and called on his flock to defend their Homeland. This position was reaffirmed in all subsequent statements by the UOC Synod. In May 2022, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church held a Council, during which it actually severed all ties with the Russian Orthodox Church and made these changes to its Statute (“Constitution”, the governing document of the Church). In other words, the UOC showed that it was with the people of Ukraine.
Zelensky saw and knew this. On 12 March 2022, he thanked the UOC for its assistance in organizing a humanitarian convoy to besieged Mariupol. The same attitude was shown by all other representatives of the government. The head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, wrote in March 2022 that “useful idiots” were spreading the idea of a religious conflict in society due to the presence of a “Russian Church” in Ukraine. The same sentiment was expressed in April of that year by the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, who commented on the idea of a legislative ban on the UOC: “During the war, we have no right to adopt any law that divides Ukrainian society.” A similar stance was taken by Yermak’s advisor and the de facto spokesperson for the President’s Office, Mykhailo Podoliak, who, during this period, called for “not speculating” on the issue of banning the UOC, because otherwise, “we may face internal conflict, and today, unity, which Ukraine has demonstrated to the world, is far more essential and much more important.” Furthermore, Podoliak stated at the time that the UOC was a structure different from the ROC, one that rejected Russian aggression. It is important to note that this was said before the UOC Council.
Oleksandr Tkachenko, the then Minister of Culture, in September 2022, sharply reprimanded journalists who referred to the UOC as the “Moscow Patriarchate”: “I do not know any ROC representatives in Ukraine. There is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which, at the last Synod, distanced itself precisely from the ROC.”
But then, not much time passed before government representatives began saying completely opposite things about the UOC.
In January 2023, Podoliak stated that the UOC was a “propaganda institute” that “works for the values of another country”. Other figures of our research made similar claims during this period. Stefanchuk said that the UOC “poses a national security threat to Ukraine”. Tkachenko, completely forgetting his previous statement that he “did not know about the ROC in Ukraine”, calmly referred to the UOC as the “Moscow Patriarchate” and claimed that it allegedly supported the war. In other words, within two to three months (from September 2022 to January 2023), the authorities made the decision to completely change their stance towards the UOC.
What happened? Could it be that representatives of the Church took some hostile actions towards the state? No. The UOC still helps the army more than any other denomination, supports migrants and victims of hostilities. In addition, it is the UOC that has suffered the most from the war. The majority of the hundreds of destroyed churches belong to this denomination, and dozens of its clergy have been killed or wounded during the fighting.
Nevertheless, Volodymyr Zelensky suddenly begins his attack on the UOC. On 1 December 2022, he held a meeting of the National Security and Defence Council (NSDC), during which he instructed to draft a bill to ban the activities of “religious organizations affiliated with the Russian Federation” and gave the go-ahead to expel the UOC from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The President also ordered the “activation of measures to identify and counteract the subversive activities of Russian intelligence services in Ukraine’s religious sphere”. At the same time, large-scale searches by the SBU have been taking place in monasteries, churches and eparchial offices of the UOC across the country since the end of November.
In fact, the Ukrainian secret police found nothing, and their actions were more of a public intimidation nature. They were meant to show society that “there is no smoke without fire”, and that the UOC is an enemy of Ukraine.
Obviously, the task of black PR against the Church was assigned not only to the Security Service but also to Zelensky’s former media colleagues.
Almost all central and regional media outlets in Ukraine began to talk about the UOC in a derogatory and offensive manner, labelling it as “Kremlin supporters”, “agents of Putin”, “FSB agents”, and so on. But the President’s friends from the “95 Quarter” went the furthest. After Zelensky’s statement on the UOC, they released a blasphemous issue of the program “Bayraktar News”, in which they said that “Ukraine bans on its territory the activities of the Russian father, the Moscow son and the bunker spirit”. (a direct mockery of the dogma of the Trinity). The actors also made crude remarks on air about the UOC, using offensive language and de facto called for the beating and killing of priests. This program sparked mass outrage among Ukrainians. Lawyers for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church filed a lawsuit, but it had no consequences. And everyone understands for what reasons. The head of the SBU, Maliuk, openly stated on “1+1” that all issues related to his organization’s work on the UOC are personally overseen by Zelensky: “Right now, all of this is happening under the leadership of our President of Ukraine.”
The beginning of terror
In fact, after this program and the inaction of law enforcement, a green light was given for the harshest actions against the UOC. Since then, there has been a surge in violence against the clergy and believers of the Church.
On 25 December 2022, in a UOC temple in Chornomorsk, a man with a knife attempted to stab a priest during a service. On 2 January 2023, in a UOC church in Vinnytsia, an offender slit a priest’s throat with a razor. In April 2023, a thug attacked Bishop Nikita of Ivano-Frankivsk on the street and punched him in the face several times. In November 2023, during the seizure of the UOC Monastery of the Nativity of the Holy Theotokos, Priest Serhiy Pashchenko was brutally beaten – his jaw was broken in two places. At the same time, an elderly parishioner, Oleh Slobodianyk, had his leg broken. And these are just a few of the most well-known examples. In reality, there are many more.
In the spring of 2023, a wave of mass and brutal seizures of UOC temples began in Western Ukraine, which, with varying success, has continued across the country to this day. In fact, UOC eparchies in the Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions have been completely destroyed, with a dire situation in the Ternopil, Volyn and Khmelnytskyi regions. Almost all the UOC churches in the Kyiv region have been seized.
At the same time, the authorities pretend that none of this is happening. Officials and representatives of “court” denominations convince the West that Ukraine is a country of exceptional religious freedom. Those who speak the truth are thrown into prison, as happened to the UOJ journalists. The persecution of the UOC is only openly discussed abroad. Among those speaking out was the new US Vice President JD Vance, and similar statements were made by politicians such as Catherine Whiteford, Tulsi Gabbard, Vivek Ramaswamy, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission.
Yet, the question remains: why did Volodymyr Zelensky start this shameful campaign against his own people? After all, the millions of UOC believers are just as Ukrainian as everyone else: atheists, Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and so on. Their right to religious freedom is guaranteed by the Constitution. Why is this right so cynically taken away from them?
“Do you want to lose the war? Then start a war against God, ban the Church”
Perhaps, we should go back to that period of 2022, when Zelensky, together with his entourage, so lightning-fast changed his attitude to the church issue. Let us recall that it happened in November-December. It was the time when the lightning counter-offensive of Ukraine, which resulted in the liberation of significant territories of the country, was booted and in fact ended. At the same time, the people on a wave of euphoria expected more and more victories. And they were demonstated to the people. Victories over their own fellow citizens.
Faithful soldiers began to massively record appeals from the front to the authorities, demanding to stop repression against their Church.
“There are millions of us, Orthodox,” said one of the warriors and called on the authorities to stop the persecution of the UOC. Another remarked that he was defending not only the state but also his Church at the front.
Well, one of the priests explained that the war against the UOC would lead Ukraine to defeat.
“Do you want to lose the war? Then start a war against God. Ban the Church. Take away the temples. Beat and abuse the priests. Beat and abuse their parishioners. And you will lose the war. Because not a single person in history has ever won nor will anyone ever win a war against God – this is an obvious thing,” the clergyman said.
These words were said at the beginning of 2023. And now, almost two years later, it is difficult to claim that he was wrong. After Zelensky began the terror against his own Orthodox citizens, the situation on the front line is not encouraging for Ukrainians. One could call it a coincidence, or one could see a pattern.
Petro Poroshenko, who once made the “victory” over the “wrong” Church the main trump card of his policy, has ingloriously lost. Volodymyr Zelensky, who is undoubtedly a talented and intelligent man, decided to follow in Poroshenko’s footsteps. And so, he is making the same mistake.
Those who fight against God have no prospects.
https://spzh.eu/en/zashhita-very/83622-president-the-story-of-one-mistake
https://spzh.eu/en/news/83563-song-and-dance-ensemble-performs-in-lavras-refectory-church
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLPvqY4DCZ8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdu_86vUhlk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEQ5GhnTCr4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrS2v-YUs3g&t=17s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65dzE4xCqQY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sETtE9cj8vQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JD2cYnmXKI&t=1696s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBjIr0YBb2o&t=3s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxDlK2Vh5us
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Dear Representatives of the International Community!
Thank you very much for your support of our UOC and your sympathy!
In Ukraine, the UOC continues to be persecuted… These terrible demons burn Holy books and Icons, throw Holy church items into the trash… This is all because of the godless policy of Zelensky and Poroshenko – the new Nero and Diocletian.
There is such an activist and YouTuber in Ukraine – Alexey STERNENKO. He ACTIVELY incited hatred and hostility towards the UOC among Ukrainians, calling the UOC a Russian branch of the FSB in Ukraine. Sternenko’s reputation is not very good. Rather, he has a criminal reputation. And he does NOT believe in God.
Please, read a little more about this RELIGIOUS CRIMINAL- STERNENKO, who must be TRIAL to the fullest extent of the law. After all, he incited HATRED towards the UOC in MILLIONS of Ukrainians. He is also a PERSECUTOR of the UOC!!! And please watch his videos in which he INSULTS and SLANDERS the UOC, as well as all our hierarchs, priests, monks and believers.
Serhii Viacheslavovych Sternenko is a Ukrainian activist and Youtuber. As of 2024, his You Tube channel has over 2.1 million subscribers. He is a former board member and head of the Odesa regional branch of Right Sector, a coalition of Right-wing groups that includes ultranationalist and far-right elements.
14:30 11.06.2020 (SBU)
Activist Sternenko served notice of suspicion for premeditated murder, cold weapons possession.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has notified activist Serhiy Sternenko of suspicion of premeditated murder and illegal possession of knives, the SBU press service said.
“Today, taking into account the materials of the case and the examinations, as agreed with the Prosecutor General’s Office, Sternenko was informed of a suspicion of a crime under Part 1 of Article 115 (intentional unlawful causing death to another person) and Part 2 of Article 263 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code (carrying a cold weapon without permission provided by law),” the SBU press center said in a statement.
Also, in September 2015, a case was opened against Sternenko on suspicion of kidnapping.
In September 2015, criminal proceedings were initiated against Sternenko on suspicion of kidnapping in the spring of 2015 a deputy of the Kominternivka district council of the Odessa region, Serhiy Shcherbych.
In the end, it was in this case that Sternenko was sentenced on February 23, 2021 to 7 years and 3 months of imprisonment with confiscation of half of his property (!!!!!). The verdict concerns the case of the kidnapping of local deputy Serhiy Shcherbich. Sternenko was found guilty under articles: part 2 of art. 146, part 2 of art. 187 and part 1 of art. 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, but Serhiy was released from liability under the article on kidnapping due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
Serhiy STERNENKO leads a video blog on YouTube, where he talks about events in Ukraine.
Please read the title of HIS videos with mud and slander on the UOC. You can turn on English subtitles on YouTube and watch the speeches of the satanist Sternenko against the UOC. What do you think – Sternenko is a criminal? I think, yes:
1.”Russians in panic over possible return of Lavra to Ukraine, while priests of UOC MP want to continue serving Russia In Lavra”
2.”Priests curse Ukraine, Pasha Mercedes threatens Zelensky. UOC MP blocks shrine In Kyiv”
3.”UOC MP used believers in the interests of Moscow and Medvedchuk”
4.”Moscow priests in Ukraine are spreading coronavirus and killing Ukrainians – STERNENKO ON ZVYAZKU”
5. “Will Ukraine finally ban UOC MP and return Lavra? It’s high time to close FSB branch”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWBSPSzsGMQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFR7MXOS9B0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrRnnRy4AZI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otpxD6eRbZ8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A3cBNSP33w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX_kMCU6yVQ
Please also watch several videos about the persecution of the UOC in Ukraine.
I HAVE NO WORDS!!! MY HEART BLEEDS BECAUSE OF THE PERSECUTION OF THE UOC!!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/J-Pn53drxJU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq9yikkjnws
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z64iCncg3V0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS_wTCU5B-Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TwmMJuL9kg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBhjolzI7jw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs4txOncmRk&t=8s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTUTT_X8gL4&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua3tffetHLU&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCeKUgmZQWE&t=10s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kterdZl6Ock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbxwIqg-o2c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRTbLcRIoko&t=10s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fkcx-hb6cE
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/T0K5fabHSps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARy91sktnjM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2pEYE4vn5E
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HewJB8UQjDI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A8HHqBr91s&t=27s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNm9t1zLxCA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h04w70Jrj-8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1DqE_a3liw&t=4s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPw7J7LYUt0&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2sEGHgmVVY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WvfxinlqtA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHkeoqysqV4&t=10s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9JKJ7Kbkag&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZxDxgi3XFY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFhmp6Lm61Y&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO9I3L1K-BU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8NQfbk0l4M&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgGxOqqrDAI&t=346s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-qvwTXh7oM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6JpCjjOuso&t=2s
https://spzh.eu/ru/news/83406-zelenskij-ustroil-voennyj-zavtrak-v-trapeznom-khrame-lavry
https://spzh.eu/ru/news/83388-sud-ostavil-namestnika-svjatohorskoj-lavry-pod-strazhej-do- fevralya-2025-goda
https://spzh.eu/ru/uzniki-sovesti/mirovaya-reaktsiya/83250-amsterdam-zhurnalistam-upts-hrozit-pozhiznennoe-za-to-chto-oni-hovorjat-pravdu
Please share this information with other people. Let the whole world know about it!!! I thank you in advance!!
God bless you!!!
With LOVE in CHRIST!!!
Your sister in Christ
Tetyana Avramenko
Dear representatives of the International Community!
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
You know that the UOC is being persecuted in Ukraine. The persecution is very cruel. Ukrainian Goebbels propaganda media incites hatred among Ukrainians towards the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. And by doing so they confirm their PARTICIPATION in the PERSECUTION OF THE UOC!!!! Dmitry Gordon and Olesia Batsman are very well-known journalists and TV presenters in Ukraine, as well as a married couple. Maybe you have heard of them? If not, I will tell you a little about them.
They are also participating in the persecution of the UOC (Gordon is an atheist). They SPILLED SLANDER AND DIRT AGAINST OUR UOC, as well as our UOC hierarchs, especially Metropolitan Pavlo – the Rector of the Kiev-Pecherska Lavra. They called him terrible names, and they also called our UOC – “a RUSSIAN branch of the FSB in Ukraine”, which is a terrible lie!!! They called our priests and hierarchs – Russian FSB officers in cassocks, thereby inciting hatred towards them among Ukrainians!!!
Thus, the Gordon spouses (Dmitry Gordon and Olesia Batsman) are also PERSECUTORS of the UOC. SHAME ON THEM!
Please watch these 2 videos in which Dmitry Gordon and Olesia Batsman SLANDER and pour dirt on our UOC and our Metropolitan Pavlo. Please, turn on English subtitles on YouTube to watch these videos. Look how they have fun and how they MOCK at the UOC, which is under TERRIBLE BLOODY PERSECUTION in Ukraine.
This really horrifies me! They, in my opinion, like the journalist Vitaly Portnikov, are RELIGIOUS CRIMINALS!!!
God bless you!
With love in Christ
Your sister in Christ and believer of the UOC
Avramenko Tetyana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqsEFcLpeb4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtvosmzjD0I
Bancheny Monastery gives reason for Met Longin’s hospitalization
The monastery asks for holy prayers for the Metropolitan, who was taken away by ambulance.
During the regular court session on 30 October, Metropolitan Longin of Bancheny became ill and asked for a break until tomorrow, reports the Bancheny Monastery on its Telegram channel.
It is noted that the judge refused the request of the metropolitan.
The channel of the monastery published photos in which Met Longin is given first aid right in the courtroom, and then he is carried on a stretcher to the ambulance.
“The consequence of today’s court session over Metropolitan Longin,” reads the message. “We ask for holy prayers!”
As the UOJ reported, earlier MP Artem Dmytruk on his Telegram-channel called for prayers for the health of Metropolitan Longin of Bancheny, who was hospitalized after his physical state deteriorated during the court hearings.
https://spzh.live/en/news/82761-bancheny-monastery-gives-reason-for-met-longins-hospitalization
https://spzh.life/en/news/82758-after-court-hearings-met-longin-hospitalized-to-intensive-care-unit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUNkHVbJDRs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1DqE_a3liw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n82yhA0rUaA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTZUqyr0QWM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN1T6cA-3cM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBXtyMkfYyk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEccIhTNevQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtTJ4dsLEP8&t=47s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UyA6Zhv6c8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgd2TNw7YoY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF3cjXZ0w0k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7i5FMiFWa4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaVFFOkuwV0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20R2y1tPG7Q
Dear brothers and sisters!
I thank all of you for supporting the UOC. God bless you!
In Ukraine, the brutal and bloody persecution of the UOC continues. OCU raiders continue to abuse believers and priests UOC with the support of the ukrainian authorities, the police and the SBU.
Please watch these videos. Among them is one of the video recordings of surveillance cameras that were located at the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Cherkassy.
This recording records the night invasion of the OCU hired militants on the territory of the shrine on October 17. OCU cleric Nazarii Zasanskyi, who is easily recognizable even behind a mask, consults with the raiders on how best to break the video surveillance cameras:
“In short, the situation is as follows. The cameras show, although I disassembled 2 system cabinets. With the switches, with everything, I messed with it. And akuma, and supplementary feeding – I cut everything. The broadcast is going”, — reports one of the raiders.
They were very afraid that the cameras would record their crime. And the cameras recorded everything.
With love in Christ
Your sister in Christ
Tetyana Avramenko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7tn7Hq1op8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrQ3xFLMwBs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRTbLcRIoko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHXxnOlieCo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aFZ0avdA5U&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeOquQnIPys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfGhSrT5s-Y&t=22s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQZJniKwzfM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ichK5yJ98EQ&t=8s
Patriarch Bartholomew!
A monument to you was recently erected in Australia and you took a photo with it!!!
In Ukraine there is already a monument to the BLOODY TOMOS, which you provided to Ukraine by committing a TERRIBLE BLOODY CATASTROPHE AND SIN!!!
Patriarch Bartholomew, did you hear about the BLOODY ATTACK on the Cathedral in Cherkassy??? And did you see how they beat Metropolitan Theodosius? How do you feel about this??? Doesn’t your conscience bother you?? Do you sleep peacefully?
After all, your great guilt is that in Ukraine the satanic Ukrainian government is PERSECUTING the UOC!!! Did you see the BLOODY RAIDER SEIZURES OF UOC TEMPLES??? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS??? What will you say at God’s Judgment before God?? Do you still consider yourself a Christian?? Do you really consider yourself an Orthodox patriarch? Are you worthy of being called a Christian??
Watch these videos where you can see how these demons beat Metropolitan Theodosius, who a few days ago addressed you, Patriarch Bartholomew, regarding this BLOODY CRIME – one of the most terrible events in the history of the Orthodox Church!!!!!
Tetyana Avramenko
(UOC believer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtv7X6N5t9A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoSmgTsbnPs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQQ8WGivMnk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3-h7wUXhYg&t=5s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J3EkzbgXzs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL4ZxHPj8aQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsS_EvV-_Bg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGara-L3nWE
https://spzh.live/en/news/82568-metropolitan-theodosiy-diagnosed-with-concussion
Metropolitan Theodosiy diagnosed with concussion
According to the Cherkasy Eparchy, over 10 parishioners from the cathedral have been hospitalized with injuries of varying severity following the recent events.
On October 19, 2024, it became known that Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv was diagnosed with a concussion after being beaten by representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) during the seizure of the Cathedral, as reported by the press service of the Cherkasy Eparchy.
“During the forceful seizure of the Cathedral in Cherkasy, Metropolitan Theodosiy was among the injured. He has been diagnosed with a concussion, first-degree corneal burns in both eyes, and burns on his skin,” the press service stated.
Metropolitan Theodosiy is currently prescribed treatment and strict bed rest.
The diocese also reported that “more than 10 parishioners of the Cathedral have been hospitalized with injuries of varying severity, and several dozen are receiving outpatient treatment.”
The press service urged people to “not trust the disinformation from ‘honest’ media claiming that no believers were hospitalized and that the parishioners of the Cathedral attempted to ‘seize’ the church from themselves.”
“Trust common sense and your own eyes, as there are numerous photo and video testimonies of this brutal bloody crime against the faithful citizens of Ukraine,” the diocese wrote.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the SBU is demanding stricter detention measures for Metropolitan Theodosiy.
Cherkasy Cathedral seized, what’s next?On 17 October 2024, supporters of the OCU seized the Cathedral in Cherkasy. How can events unfold, and what could this mean for the Church?
A complete chronology of the seizure of St. Michael’s Cathedral is presented here: “Faith against violence: Chronicle of the UOC cathedral seizure in Cherkasy”. It is worth paying attention to several key points that will determine the future developments in Cherkasy and Ukraine as a whole.
Government favoritismThe takeover took place with full approval from the authorities, and most likely at their direct instruction. The Telegram channel “Resident”, citing an anonymous source in the Office of the President, reported that orders were given to seize cathedrals in UOC eparches. Local authorities had long expressed anti-church rhetoric. Many regional and city councils had passed decisions at their sessions to ban the UOC’s activities in their territories or had appealed to the Verkhovna Rada to enforce such a ban nationwide.
The mayor of Cherkasy, Anatoliy Bondarenko, openly expressed his intentions to transfer St. Michael’s Cathedral to the OCU and, a few days before, published an actual announcement of the seizure on Instagram. Moreover, between the first (unsuccessful) and second (successful) attempts to seize the cathedral, the mayor made a public appeal, de facto calling on OCU supporters to come and back the activists’ actions to take over the temple.
Several months ago, the UOJ suggested that failures on the front would push the authorities to intensify persecution of the UOC to distract public attention from their own erroneous decisions and redirect popular anger toward someone else. The Church is an ideal target for such manipulations: peaceful, defenceless, and willing to endure and forgive everything. Christ made the Church this way, and it must remain so, no matter what. Otherwise, it would cease to be the Church.
As early as 64 AD, the Roman Emperor Nero, needing to deflect blame from himself for the burning of Rome, pointed to Christians as the arsonists and staged a public, bloody reprisal against them to satisfy the wrath of the crowd. The same is happening today. In recent days, to the difficult situation on the front, a diplomatic failure of the so-called “Zelensky’s Victory Plan” has been added. Leading Western countries effectively denied the President of Ukraine key conditions of the plan: NATO membership and permission to strike deep into Russia. All these negative news stories for the authorities need to be compensated for and done so loudly. That’s why the targets were not simple parish churches, but cathedrals. Soon after the seizure of St. Michael’s Cathedral in Cherkasy, there was an attempt to seize the cathedral in Kremenchuk.
Inaction of law enforcementIn a constitutional state, which Ukraine is according to its Constitution, the law enforcement system should not be guided by political motives. Its role is to ensure strict adherence to the law and hold offenders accountable. In this case, there was a large-scale, blatant and completely unmasked violation of the law. This included physical violence, the use of firearms (or something resembling them), illegal entry into a building, robbery, threats, incitement of religious hatred, and much more. Yet law enforcers calmly observed these crimes and, not only did they do nothing, but according to eyewitnesses, they even facilitated these actions in certain ways. The seizure of St. Michael’s Cathedral is a violation of multiple Ukrainian laws and an infringement on basic rights and freedoms. However, there was almost no response from law enforcement.
Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy stated that the community of St. Michael’s Cathedral will defend their rights in court. This is the right course of action, but based on the experience of court proceedings related to the UOC, it is difficult to expect a fair trial. Just consider the persecution of UOJ journalists, who have been imprisoned for over six months merely for reporting the news. Time and again, courts have granted the absurd and immoral requests of prosecutors and investigators. This proves that Ukraine does not have an independent judiciary, as is also enshrined in the Constitution, and there is no opportunity for Ukrainian citizens to exercise their right to an independent, public and fair trial.
This indicates that while the authorities verbally commit to the path of European integration, in practice they are doing everything possible to prevent this integration from happening, distancing Ukraine further and further from European human rights standards and democratic principles of state and society. There are many statements from those in power claiming that Ukraine is not Russia – that we have democracy, while they have authoritarianism; that we have human rights, while they have the dominance of security forces. But in reality, the policy of the Ukrainian authorities is becoming increasingly similar to that of our adversary. We are adopting their authoritarian methods of governance, prioritizing political expediency over law and human rights, and shaping the state and society according to the same templates as the Russian Federation. In the end, this could lead to Ukraine’s defeat, because a democratic, legal state can defeat a large authoritarian country, but a small authoritarian state can never defeat a large authoritarian state.
Cruelty of attackersJudging by footage recoreded by eyewitnesses during the seizure, the attackers were given full carte blanche for any violence. They fired shots, sprayed tear gas on the faithful and brutally beat them, showing no concern for whom they struck. It’s important to note how harshly and skillfully they beat people – these are individuals who clearly know how to fight and do it often. The conclusion is obvious: these were militants, specially brought in and likely paid to do the dirty work.
This style strongly resembles the “titushky” from Yanukovych’s era. If the authorities want to do something outside the law, they turn to people like this. However, by doing so, they undermine the very foundation of the state, one of which is the government’s monopoly on legitimate violence. When the authorities allow such violence to be carried out by non-state actors operating outside the law, they destroy the state. If this is not stopped, Ukraine could descend into lawlessness, where power belongs to whoever can attract more “titushky” than their opponent.
The only way to resist such methods is through prayer and a willingness to sacrifice. The option of deploying strong young men from the faithful to confront these militants carries the risk of turning a situation where the Church defends its rights legally into a conflict between two groups equally breaking the law. Perhaps, this is exactly what the ideologists behind these church seizures want. Hiring legal security firms to protect UOC churches may be useful, but it’s clear that against such large-scale and well-organized operations like the seizure of the Cherkasy cathedral, this won’t help.
Steadfastness of believersAnother, and perhaps the most important, aspect of this event is that the St. Michael’s Cathedral community did not split into supporters and opponents of joining the OCU; nearly the entire community remained faithful to the Holy Church. The claims by Mayor A. Bondarenko and others that the community voted to transfer to the OCU are lies with no basis in reality. Everyone saw that the cathedral was seized not by believers or community members, but by strong men in balaclavas under the direction of OCU “priest” Nazariy Zasansky. Will they pray in this cathedral after the seizure? Will they maintain and repair it with their own funds? It’s laughable, isn’t it? Not to mention where the $60,000 and 80,000 hryvnias, which parishioners raised for restoration and a bell, will go – funds that were stolen during the seizure. Certainly not for their intended purpose.
If the community of St. Michael’s Cathedral, or at least part of it, had agreed to transfer to the OCU, they would have peacefully continued praying in the cathedral, with no one expelling them, threatening them or beating them. For Metropolitan Theodosiy, a move to the OCU would mean the closing of all criminal cases and a quiet life. For the priests, it would mean retaining their places of service and their corresponding incomes. But they chose suffering and faithfulness to God over peace and prosperity. The Apostle Paul wrote about this when he said that the prophet Moses “chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.” (Hebrews 11:25-26). It is in this “looking ahead to the reward” that the faithful must draw their strength. Today we are persecuted, humiliated and slandered; our churches are taken, and we are accused of lacking patriotism. But was not all this done to Christ by His own people? Did the apostles of Christ not endure all this? Have not the martyrs and all true followers of our Lord Jesus Christ experienced the same?
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.’” (Matthew 16:24-27).
What’s next?There were very few parishes in the UOC where the majority wanted to join the OCU, and they moved to the OCU quietly and peacefully. Most did so without their priests, as the clergy showed great steadfastness in their faith. There were a few more communities where opinions were divided, and these transferred to the OCU amid conflict and resistance. The faithful who remained with the Church formed their own community. Then there were more cases where one or two “Judas” stirred up trouble, agitating the faithful, involving the public misled by propaganda and bringing in activists to seize the church. In some cases, they succeeded. But as of today, it’s safe to say that all those who wanted to join the OCU have already done so. The Church is purified during times of persecution, and this cleansing is largely complete. Long before the creation of the OCU, there was a saying that roughly one in twelve Christians is a “Judas”. In this current phase of persecution, the percentage of “Judases” in the UOC has proven to be much smaller. Despite criminal cases, threats, imprisonments, attacks by militants, and much more, not a single bishop (except for Drabinko and Shostatsky, who left the UOC at the very beginning) has wanted to join the OCU project. There have been no mass transfers of communities or, especially, of the clergy.
Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that going forward, if current trends continue, no one will join the OCU. This doesn’t mean there won’t be more church seizures – those will certainly continue. The UOC will likely lose more cathedrals and churches, but “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man” (Acts 17:24).
God lives in human hearts, and only a person can drive Him out. If someone harbours malice, hatred or resentment in their heart, God will not dwell there. We won’t even talk about the militants and church raiders, but if the faithful, those who defend their churches and shrines, allow themselves to feel ungodly emotions or thoughts, they will indeed suffer a spiritual defeat. “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold…” (Matt. 24:12). This is what we must fear and prevent. If we have love, no matter what happens, we are with God, we are in the Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against us.
Metropolitan Theodosiy called the cathedral’s community to gather in homes for services. This is what will happen, and in God’s eyes, it will still be the same community, the same Church as when services were held in the cathedral.
Even if things are much simpler and poorer on the outside, the prayers will be even more fervent, the cry to God even more piercing, and the faith even more firm. Today, the St. Michael’s Cathedral community is facing hardship, just as Christians who lost their churches faced hardship yesterday, and as those who lose theirs tomorrow will also face. But they can be comforted with these words: “They took your cathedral—build a cathedral in your heart! Cleanse it of sin, of vain thoughts, of feelings unworthy of God! Invite the Spirit of God there: ‘Come and dwell in us…’ And you will see that what happened on 17 October and before to other churches, and what may happen in the future, was not a loss but a gain for you.”
https://spzh.live/en/zashhita-very/82577-cherkasy-cathedral-seized-whats-next
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAUuAz4Yru4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80E53V7hVWU&t=18s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suABfPlpTAs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVrR235YTus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9dwJ-rkeaQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAbVa3HzDlk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6JpCjjOuso
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xkqCnmfkxk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrDpEIBR-o4&t=2s
Met. Theodosiy after seizure: “Behold, your house is left to you desolate”Metropolitan Theodosiy addressed the faithful after the seizure of the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Cherkasy.
On October 17, Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv addressed the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) following the seizure of the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Cherkasy by radicals. During the assault, tear gas was used, which, as seen in the video, appeared to cause vision problems for the Metropolitan. Despite the challenges, he urged the faithful to remain steadfast and expressed confidence that the church would once again be filled with grace when the believers could return.
“Brothers and sisters! We did everything we could. We tried to defend our cathedral from the bandits. Unfortunately, against such force, there is no recourse. Thus, our shrine has been seized, albeit illegally,” said Metropolitan Theodosiy.
He mentioned that the UOC would appeal to the courts regarding the situation with the cathedral, noting that seeking justice would be difficult due to the political situation: “Of course, we will try to seek the truth in court, but knowing how these matters are currently resolved here, with purely political considerations, there is little hope.”
The UOC hierarch also reminded the faithful that their spiritual connection with the church remains, even if they have temporarily lost access to the sanctuary, quoting the Gospel, “Behold, your house is left to you desolate.”
“Along with us, divine grace departs from the cathedral. Along with us, the protection and help of Archangel Michael and the holy martyr Macarius depart.” He urged the faithful not to lose hope and to remain confident that the faithful of the UOC would surely return there.
Addressing those who were injured during the assault, the Metropolitan gave practical advice on dealing with injuries. He spoke of priests with knocked-out teeth, fractures, and possible concussions: “Brothers and sisters, all who have suffered today, seek medical help and take care of yourselves. The Lord will surely reward each of you according to the strength of your faith and your desire to defend the Church.”
Metropolitan Theodosiy also noted that if church raids continue, the faithful will be compelled to pray underground: “Stay in touch with your priests, gather in apartments, homes, attics, basements, and we will pray and hold Divine Liturgies underground.” In conclusion, the UOC hierarch blessed everyone, calling for unity and prayer: “The Lord is with us, the Mother of God is with us, Archangel Michael is with us, and the holy martyr Macarius will never abandon us!”
As reported by the Union of Orthodox Journalists, unidentified men in camouflage uniforms seized the UOC cathedral in Cherkasy on their second attempt.
https://spzh.live/en/news/82549-met-theodosiy-after-seizure-behold-your-house-is-left-to-you-desolate
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Dear Representatives of Orthodox Reflections and the International Community!
Thank you for all that you do to support and protect the UOC. God bless you!
Please read this terrible information about what happened in Cherkassy!!! This is one of the most terrible events that took place during the persecution of the UOC by the satanic authorities of Zelensky and Poroshenko. Zelensky and Poroshenko have become the new Nero and Diocletian – some of the most brutal torturers and persecutors of Christians!!!
Please watch these videos. You can turn on English subtitles on YouTube. Please spread this information and tell everyone about these terrible events in Ukraine.
With love in Christ!
God bless you!
Your sister in Christ
Tetyana Avramenko
_______________________________________________________________________
Raiders in Cherkassy opened fire on UOC believers
Parishioners were gassed, beaten, and shot with a pistol.
On the night of October 17, 2024, at about 3 a.m., about 100 people in camouflage and balaclavas broke into the territory of the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Cherkassy. The invaders tried to take the temple by force. When a group of UOC believers, led by Metropolitan Feodosiy of Cherkassy and Kanev, arrived at the scene, they organized the defense of the cathedral. However, people in camouflage opened fire with a gas pistol on parishioners. The attack was filmed on video, which shows how the invaders continued to shoot at believers while trying to escape. Despite the aggression of the OCU supporters, the believers managed to defend the temple, but a few hours later the UOC Cathedral in Cherkassy was seized.
26 people were injured during the seizure of the UOC Cathedral in Cherkassy, - medical service
12 people were hospitalized. During the violent seizure of the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the UOC in Cherkassy and the confrontation between paramilitary individuals against the clergy and believers of the UOC on October 17, dozens of people were injured. This was reported in a commentary to the local publication “18000” by the head of the Cherkassy emergency medical care Igor Fesun. He said that 14 victims were examined on an outpatient basis, another 12 were hospitalized.
Among the main injuries are burns of the mucous membranes from pepper spray, as well as several fractures.
In Cherkassy, Metropolitan Feodosiy was hospitalized after the seizure of the UOC cathedral Stormtroopers attacked the bishop and beat him.
On October 17, the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the UOC in Cherkassy was seized by unknown persons in camouflage on the second attempt. Metropolitan Feodosiy of Cherkassy and Kanev, who arrived to support the believers and help defend the temple, was attacked and hit on the head. He was also sprayed with tear gas. After the cathedral was stormed, the bishop addressed the believers and blessed them to leave the shrine and gather for prayer in private homes, and to seek medical attention for injuries sustained.
Many believers have vision problems from tear gas, and there are also concussions.
______________________________________________________________________
https://spzh.life/en/news/82543-medical-service-26-people-were-injured-during-the-cherkasy-cathedral-raid
https://spzh.life/en/news/82534-metropolitan-theodosiy-hospitalized-after-uoc-cathedral-seizure-in-cherkasy
https://spzh.life/en/news/82542-uoc-chancellor-we-are-with-met-theodosiy-and-his-flock-with-all-our-hearts
https://spzh.life/en/news/82530-unknown-individuals-in-camouflage-seize-cherkasy-cathedral-on-the-second-try
https://spzh.life/en/news/82529-raiders-in-cherkasy-open-fire-on-uoc-believers
https://spzh.life/en/news/82539-amsterdam-urges-ukraines-partners-to-condemn-seizure-of-cherkasy-cathedral
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bD1Ypnzce4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQQ8WGivMnk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgXfLYvf4xA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyQ1YLQOsvg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpRo7l_Bn9I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0K5fabHSps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRERG9Sq_2M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl8QNWgAEyM
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/arzygPS13XQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFuZnzvGSwY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roa_jN0GI0E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgXfLYvf4xA&t=3s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHkeoqysqV4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8pabKLcEdY&t=207s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3cDITNDKtA&t=41s
The family of the UOC priest with his wife and four CHILDREN are kicked out into the street!!!! The priest’s well was poisoned and the CRIMINALS cut off the electricity. This is the kind of SPIRITUAL INDEPENDENCE that the Ukrainian authorities are telling everyone??? Shame on the Ukrainian authorities!!!!
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Thank you for everything! For your support of the UOC and your prayers! May the Lord bless all of you!
In Ukraine, the godless government continues to persecute priests and believers of the UOC. The biggest problem for the BLOODY Bolshevik demon Zelensky is the existence of the Church of Christ – the UOC!!! Now he asks the BLOODY Patriarch Bartholomew to give the schismatics of the OCU the status of a Patriarchate (!!!!!). What our government is doing to Metropolitan Arseniy – is REAL TORTURE!!!
The SBU (SSU), like demons, persecutes the UOC!!! The raider seizures of UOC churches by OCU schismatics are intensifying with the full support of the security forces and the government!!!
The churches of UOC have been burned!!! UKRAINIAN GOEBBELS-MEDIA, which works for Zelensky and Poroshenko, constantly slander and throw mud at the UOC!!! Priests and monks – are sent to the TCC to fight with weapons in their hands at the front!!!! Is this humane???? What is this satanist Zelensky and his predecessor Poroshenko doing with the UOC together with the SBU security forces and the police???? Previously, the first Christians were thrown into the arena to be eaten by lions! Now similar things are happening in Ukraine in relation to the UOC!!! THE UKRAINIAN AUTHORITIES DO NOT CONSIDER THE PRIESTS AND PARISHIONERS OF THE UOC AS PEOPLE AT ALL!!! THEY ARE TREATED LIKE ANIMALS!!!
Please turn on English subtitles on YouTube and watch these videos. Please tell everyone about these terrible events in Ukraine.
God bless you!
With love in Christ
Your sister in Christ
Tetyana Avramenko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FICLy1rfM3M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtuzXYR64fc
https://spzh.live/en/news/82147-zelensky-confirms-that-he-urged-phanar-to-grant-patriarchate-status-to-ocu
https://spzh.live/en/news/82127-ocu-supported-by-local-authorities-seize-last-uoc-church-in-irpin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fPK_eyBvs4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Mb0HZg26Lo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAejzBZ100U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkBPldpj7u4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izMZYGrDtvQ&t=6s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0TlDaio8Gc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlpvuHiX1KY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVnO2ey0410
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJAB1DNNC4U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=detkz3cT4fs&t=5s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1S6vZAyBwE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSxUgbRgvlU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhKM48gi2uc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEJ4252aYR0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFQJO4ukwmk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nGRsFFG0_8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQZTooqg9OE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVgzH2F9NhY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynU5EBiGuPk&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBPAN6NSkpY&t=6s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkXoYpKBrYw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwPQWRkKx9U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWkOhkelNXQ&t=61s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozMk3uAT5AI&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHXU7ky1mho&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmZnrjNTltM&t=7s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWvEdssAv2Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJYLplcmoFE&t=16s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcoWwwfhzLY&t=15s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u-FAyceQSE&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw2Dfe4sXKA&t=5s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3eyC4sFD8E&t=5s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLmk-BcIsoY&t=3s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vFre65nkH0&t=42s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhHHOvR8jkg&t=3s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujwEfaDJMyU&t=10s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIFR3mOFxAE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32KSfJ9Q0Mg&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK9NnTJvCyM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlsVc7UC_Y0&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYDNzOoVA_k
MP: In Zakarpattia, TCC employees abduct two UOC priests
Hundreds of people are gathering near the Khust TCC.
On September 22, after the Divine Liturgy, representatives of the Military Recruitment Office (TCC) in Zakarpattia abducted two priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), according to Ukrainian MP Artem Dmytruk in his Telegram channel.
According to Dmytruk, “Father Vasyl from the Khust diocese and Father Stepan from the Odesa diocese were grabbed and shoved into a van.”
“During the abduction, these brutes used force against the priests, took their phones, and turned them off. There is no contact with them, and their relatives don’t know their condition or whereabouts. The wife of one of the clergymen is pregnant! It’s known that the priests were driven around the entire Zakarpattia region for no clear reason,” the MP reported.
He added that currently, hundreds of people are gathering near the Khust Military Recruitment Office, blocking roads, including intercity highways. Local residents are helping the believers by providing transportation.
“Gather, come! The only way to protect citizens from these criminals and their attacks is by uniting. What they fear most is ordinary people!” he urged.
Dmytruk noted that he is writing a parliamentary appeal regarding the situation.
Earlier, it was reported that the Uzhhorod Military Recruitment Office had mobilized the abbot of a monastery in Zakarpattia.
https://spzh.live/en/news/82158-mp-in-zakarpattia-tcc-employees-abduct-two-uoc-priests
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc7o9tOKEw4&lc=UgyJv85O3HWnRQemIAt4AaABAg.A8h4vISLmAeA8h8nvueYJe
Raiders in camouflage seize UOC church in Pryutivka
Fire extinguishers and gas canisters were used against the priests and believers of the UOC.
On August 31, a group of raiders in camouflage uniforms cut the locks and stormed the territory of the Church of Great Martyr George the Victorious of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in the village of Pryutivka, Kirovohrad region. According to Metropolitan Boholep of Oleksandria and Svitlovodsk, who was present at the scene, the attackers used tear gas and fire extinguishers against Orthodox Christians.
The raiders barricaded themselves inside the holy site and refused to allow parishioners and clergy to enter the church.
Footage published by the Dozor_kozak1 Telegram channel shows the cynical behavior of the raiders. A fire extinguisher was used against the priest, and then a woman in camouflage began joyfully filming him with a phone camera.
Despite the church belonging to the UOC parish and ongoing court cases concerning document falsifications by activists of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), the police acted in favor of the criminals.
While believers were praying near the fence, the raiders were desecrating the church.
“Our people saw them through the windows running around the church… They were walking around with some drinks and showing disrespect towards the House of God. We don’t know what will happen to our property, the antimension, and we ask for your prayers so that our holy site is not desecrated, and that such cynical and unspiritual behavior is stopped,” said Metropolitan Boholep, who also requested prayers for the St. George community.
As UOJ reported earlier, Baummeister addressed the OCU noting that “the City of God cannot be taken through raiding or laws of the Verkhovna Rada.”
https://youtu.be/ULCjTyh5GTk?si=K5DLroBuc_0cAEsk
https://youtu.be/-mwFp5FQ52A?si=tajO4qZMHaQ1YHAp
https://spzh.live/en/news/81890-raiders-in-camouflage-seize-uoc-church-in-pryutivka
Dear brothers and sisters!
The Ukrainian authorities and security forces began to persecute the UOC more harshly after Zelenskyi signed the anti-Christian Law 8371 on the ban of the UOC in Ukraine on August 24, 2024 (Ukrainian Independence Day). This Law violates freedom of religion, freedom of speech and human rights, which is absolutely unacceptable. This Law is not from God, but from the devil and his servants – demons.
Raiders in military uniform, who invaded the territory of the St. George Church of the UOC in the village of Priyutivka on August 31, 2024 used force against the clergy of the church.
During the attack of these terrible godless people, it was recorded that they used fire extinguishers against the abbot and parishioners of the church.
The raiders injured the clergyman, but the police remained completely inactive.
The law enforcement officers, who were actually covering the criminals, refused to take the tear gas canisters from the raiders. According to evidence from this scene, gas was also used against believers.
During the whole time, together with the invaders were present schismatics of the OCU (“clerics” of the OCU) who supported these criminal activities.
God bless you!!!
With Love in Christ
Your sister in Christ
Tetyana Avramenko
https://youtu.be/e_x5kAOGBUs?si=L6IBE82ngCv-2fvu
https://youtu.be/K95iXBGrTMc?si=E6e_xHEuW-4w_6_2
https://youtu.be/vJYLplcmoFE?si=jVObuFOwND_1K6NN
https://youtu.be/vJYLplcmoFE?si=jVObuFOwND_1K6NN
https://youtu.be/4M5etN6VFuE?si=QAuhuUyACn1sS3sd
https://youtu.be/0cqF1bILiu8?si=srvI-myAnVX7bnRw
https://youtube.com/shorts/H7czpjksd5A?si=clebEUdYkgks6sU6
https://youtube.com/shorts/CcjGLp4Pud4?si=MgycWNVDsLbsyyyu
https://youtu.be/uQv_aHz47Ck?si=sRevUTzCt31Zalae