Media reveal who illegally reregistered UOC churches in Chernivtsi

Solomiya Hryniv with DESS Head Viktor Yelensky. Photo: Dozor

The illegal re-registration of the Holy Spirit Cathedral, St. Nicholas Church, and Sts. Peter and Paul Church of the UOC was carried out by Solomiya Hryniv, an official of the Lviv Regional State Administration, reports Dozor, publishing a photo of the official alongside DESS Head Viktor Yelensky.

According to her tax declaration, Hryniv is listed as a chief specialist of the Department of Culture, Nationalities, and Religions of the Lviv Regional State Administration.

"Judging by the extract from the registry, she became an accomplice in a large-scale theft from Orthodox Christians. Through her actions, she is trying to legitimize falsified documents regarding these sacred sites," the report states.

Dozor also published a 2023 photograph showing Hryniv attending DESS events under Yelenskyi’s leadership.

Journalists believe this serves as evidence that the DESS head provides 'valuable' guidelines to those involved in the persecution of the UOC.

"Moreover, according to our sources, Hryniv is involved in more than just this single legal case challenging illegal property re-registration. The Lviv official has taken part in raider seizures of UOC parishes in Lviv Oblast," the media outlet reports.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the illegal re-registration of Chernivtsi’s Holy Spirit Cathedral, St. Nicholas Cathedral, and Sts. Peter and Paul Church under the OCU was carried out in Lviv.

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