Dmytruk: UOC church house in Ladyzhyn being seized right now

Seizure of the UOC church house in Ladyzhyn. April 17, 2024. Photo: UOJ collage

Right now, raiders are seizing the church house of the Kazan parish of the UOC in Ladyzhyn, Vinnytsia region. This was reported by MP Artem Dmytruk in his Telegram channel on April 17, 2024.

"About 50 people representing the interests of the OCU invaded the church territory. Windows and doors have already been smashed. The chief of police of Ladyzhyn and several law enforcement officers have arrived at the scene. They are not controlling the situation, but rather the raiders, ensuring that everything goes smoothly and without resistance...," the MP said.

Artem Dmytruk posted a video from the scene, where the invaders are on the church grounds and believers have already been driven out of the house.

One parishioner, pointing to the church's pastor, Father Yevhen Vorobyov, says, "Look what they did with the spray cans."

"The raiders used tear gas against believers and clergy of the UOC. The police are not reacting at all. Once again! The chief of police of Ladyzhyn, Maksym Viktorovych Ilyashov, is present at the scene, monitoring all of this," wrote Dmytruk.

The day before, the MP warned that an attack on the Orthodox community was being prepared and called on the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prevent another bloodshed.

"All night, parishioners of the church stood guard, ready to defend the place of prayer from the bandits hired by the head of the so-called OCU community, Mykhailo Bondarenko," he wrote.

As the UOJ reported, on April 2, about 30 militants invaded the territory of the church house in Ladyzhyn and attacked the pastor and parishioners of the UOC community in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The hired OCU militants blocked the entrances and threatened Orthodox Christians with murder.

A criminal case under Part 2 of Article 296 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (hooliganism) has been initiated regarding the beating of the pastor and parishioners of the Kazan church of the UOC in Ladyzhyn, Vinnytsia Eparchy.

Read also

U.S. political analyst: Bishop Budde is a 'tool of Satan'

Political analyst Mark Steyn blasted Episcopal Bishop Budde’s stance on families with gay, lesbian, and transgender children.

Archbishop Anastasios of Albania laid to rest in Tirana

The Primate of the Albanian Church was laid to rest in the crypt beneath the Resurrection Cathedral.

UOJ opens its branch in Albania

The new European organization Union of Orthodox Journalists has opened a branch in Albania.

In Bukovyna, UOC believers appeal to Vance on the eve of OCU’s church raid

The parish also invited a UN monitoring group and an OSCE human rights officer.

Abducted by military commissars, archimandrite reveals TRC detention details

The abbot of the monastery in Babai described the conditions in which clergymen are held in the military recruitment center.

Council of Churches in London discusses religion in Ukraine with British MPs

The meeting addressed religious freedom in Ukraine and the challenges faced by various denominations during the war.