Church raids: OCU raider seen collaborating with Right Sector reporter

Lavryk during the seizures of UOC churches in Dubivtsi and Verkhni Stanivtsi. Collage: UOJ

Diana Lavryk, the so-called "journalist" who took part in the attempted seizure of the St Nicholas Church in Verkhni Stanivtsi, is the head of the information department of Bandera’s VO “Tryzub” as well as of the “Right Sector”. She accompanies the OCU raiding group, which tours around Bukovyna, first organising fake meetings to approve a parish transfer and then forcefully seizing UOC churches. At the same time, Lavryk resides in the Lviv region, as reported by sources in Bukovyna.

In particular, Lavryk arrived with fighters from the “Right Sector”, who provided the physical support during the seizure of the Dormition Church in Dubivtsi.

Lavryk also took part in the assault in Verkhni Stanivtsi, led by OCU cleric Roman Hryshchuk. After the doors of the Dormition Church were broken down – an act accompanied by the brutal beating of female parishioners – Lavryk broke into the church with the raiders and barricaded herself inside.

Hryshchuk posted a 9-second video, filmed by Lavryk, on his Facebook page. The footage, taken inside the seized church, shows outraged parishioners. The OCU cleric claimed that Lavryk was "severely beaten" by them and had to spend "the whole day on a drip".

At the same time, UOC parishioners filmed the “journalist” shortly after the group of raiders was expelled from the church. The footage shows that she did not require any medical assistance and appeared to be in good health. Believers told a UOJ correspondent that no violence was used against any of the raiders, including Diana Lavryk. They left the church building and grounds freely.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the organiser of the violent assault in Verkhni Stanivtsi was the OCU cleric Roman Hryshchuk.

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