IRS: 246 Orthodox сhurches affected by war, 187 of them are UOC’s

The Transfiguration Cathedral of the UOC in Odesa. Photo: REUTERS

The Institute for Religious Freedom has updated data on partially damaged or completely destroyed religious buildings as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war. According to the IRS, at least 246 Orthodox churches have been affected, with the majority belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, viz. 187.

Overall, according to the organization's data, the number of religious buildings affected or destroyed as a result of military actions amounts to 630 objects to date.

"The largest number of churches, prayer houses, synagogues, and mosques have been destroyed in the Donetsk region (at least 146), Luhansk (at least 83), and Kherson (at least 78). Extensive destruction also occurred in the Kyiv region (73) when Russian forces attempted to capture the capital of Ukraine in February-March 2022. Due to ongoing hostilities, the number of destroyed structures continues to grow in the Kharkiv region (at least 62), Zaporizhzhia (at least 51), and Mykolaiv regions (at least 41)," the IRS writes.

The institute's specialists noted that "the most affected denomination by Russian aggression is the Orthodox Church, with a total of at least 246 Orthodox churches affected."

It was established that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church remains the most affected religious denomination in Ukraine due to military actions. At least 187 UOC churches have been destroyed or damaged.

As reported by the UOJ, Italy has donated 500,000 euros for the destroyed UOC cathedral in Odesa.

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