UOC priest of Odesa Eparchy released from TRC
Archpriest Oleksandr Moskovchuk. Photo: a video screenshot of the Odesa Eparchy
On June 15, 2025, Archpriest Oleksandr Moskovchuk, rector of the Holy Trinity Church of the UOC in the village of Troyandove, was released from the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) in the Odesa Region, where he had been detained since June 10. The press service published a video message from the priest.
Father Oleksandr thanked all the clergy and parishioners for their prayers, and the lawyers for their professional assistance.
"I am happy to have returned to my native church and can continue to pray for peace in our country. My deepest gratitude to everyone," said Fr. Oleksandr Moskovchuk.
As the UOJ reported, the Odesa Eparchy stated that despite his age and poor health, the canonical prohibition on bearing arms, and the legal grounds preventing his mobilization, the clergyman had been pressured to sign a military service contract. He was being subjected to threats and psychological coercion, and transported between various TRC offices and military units across Odesa Region and Ukraine.
Read also
Odesa Metropolitan bars human rights activist Kokhanovska from Holy Communion
According to the decree of Metropolitan Agafangel, Victoria Kokhanovska is forbidden from receiving communion until she repents and refutes the accusations made.
Religious procession with reliquary of Oleksandria saints held in Znamyanka
Metropolitan Boholep, clergy, and faithful of the Oleksandria Eparchy of the UOC walked in prayer with holy relics through the streets of Znamyanka.
Evidence of early Christians' struggle against paganism found in Turkey
An Aramaic inscription in the Zerzevan Castle confirms that Christians sealed the Roman Mithras temple in the 3rd–4th centuries.
Dumenko foresees RF's collapse and OCU recognition by Russian Church
The head of the OCU spoke about the future of Russia and the ROC at a discussion in Berlin.
OCU awards deputy whose security firm seized UOC church in Odesa
Andriy Babenko, whose men beat a priest of the Odesa Eparchy during the seizure of St. Alexander Church, received an order from Dumenko’s structure.
Polish company to allocate €1 million for restoration of St. Nicholas Church
Polimex Mostostal will provide equipment for emergency stabilization work at St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv.