State Service: 183 churches damaged in Ukraine during the war
On July 24, 2022, the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Speech published data on religious structures – churches, mosques, synagogues, educational and administrative buildings of religious communities of Ukraine, which had been damaged by hostilities. Information and interactive maps are available on the DESS website.
Of the 183 damaged religious structures, 173 are Christian. Most of them – 127 – belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is 73% of all damaged religious buildings. There were also destroyed 22 buildings owned by Protestant communities, 19 – by the OCU, 3 – by the RCC, 2 – by the UGCC, as well as 5 Muslim and 5 Jewish religious buildings.
The largest number of UOC temples were damaged in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions – 45 and 40, respectively. 34 religious buildings of the canonical Church were damaged in the Kyiv region, 25 – in the Kharkiv region.
As the UOJ wrote, at the beginning of July, according to the Institute of Religious Freedom, over 240 churches suffered military actions.
Read also
Authorities take European Commission President on Lavra tour
Ursula von der Leyen and European leaders were shown the progress of the restoration of the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra following a Russian strike.
Odesa RSA sends defenders of St. Alexander Nevsky Church to court
The Odesa Regional State Administration responded to the appeal of the church's parishioners, stating that it would not investigate the legality of the transfer of the church to another community.
Zelensky awards OCU "Metropolitan" Mykhail Zinkevych Order of Merit
On the occasion of Ukrainian Statehood Day, the President signed a decree awarding the head of the Volyn Eparchy of the OCU.
Ukraine to begin search in Poland for remains of WWII victims
Searches for the burial sites of Ukrainian civilians killed in 1944 are expected to begin in the Polish village of Lasków in August.
UGCC cardinal given tour of Lavra’s Far Caves
Ostapenko showed the UGCC cardinal the damage to the Dormition Cathedral.
MP who opposed UOC announces resignation from parliament
MP Poturaiev became known for saying that after the UOC was banned, its privately owned churches could be used to store vegetables, conduct business or open casinos.