Zinkevych: Volyn is an occupied territory

Mykhailo Zinkevych. Photo: “Konkurent Volyn”

The Volyn “metropolitan” of the OCU, Mykhailo Zinkevych, in an interview with Konkurent Volyn, called the region an occupied territory.

Commenting on the expulsion of the community of the Dormition Cathedral in Volodymyr from its church, Zinkevych said that this was not enough.

“If we speak about all of Volyn, then, unfortunately, we still have a great many occupied shrines that are located in occupied territory – let us call it that – occupied by the ‘Russian world’,” the “metropolitan” said, listing cities which, in his view, are on “occupied territory.” He included Lutsk, Chartoryisk, Myltsi, Zymne, and many, many other shrines, which, as he stressed, “were built not under Russia, not even under Muscovy.”

According to Zinkevych, although the pace of “transfers” to the OCU in Volyn has fallen significantly, he remains optimistic and is expecting the next “wave.” He links it to the law banning the UOC.

“There will be a great deal of red tape with various legal directions – over the property of the church, the building, the land around the church, and so on. This will be a procedure somewhat stretched out over time. But there will be legal precedents, and therefore it will be easier for the next judges who will make decisions,” Zinkevych believes.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the OCU synod issued Zinkevych a reprimand for ignoring the norms of the Tomos.

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