Prosecutors seek to seize Dormition Church from UOC community in Pisky
Dormition Church in the village of Pisky, Poltava Region. Photo: Roman Malenkov / ukrainaincognita.com
On October 18, 2026, it emerged that the Lubny District Prosecutor's Office had filed a lawsuit seeking to transfer the Dormition Church in the village of Pisky, Poltava Region, currently used by a Ukrainian Orthodox Church community, to state ownership. This was reported by the Poltavshchyna news outlet.
The case is being heard by the Commercial Court of Poltava Region, which opened proceedings in January 2026. Prosecutors are seeking to place the historic church under state ownership, represented by the Poltava Regional Military Administration. Ukraine's Ministry of Culture is participating in the case as a third party supporting the plaintiff.
The wooden Dormition Church was built in 1914 and is listed as an architectural monument of national significance. During the Soviet era, it was used as a collective farm grain warehouse. In 1992, it was handed over to the local UOC religious community, which has held services there ever since.
According to the outlet, placing the church under state ownership would allow the authorities to determine how it is used in the future, including potentially transferring it to another religious organization. However, the report provides no information about a court ruling ordering the church's seizure or its transfer to the OCU.
As the UOJ previously reported, the Supreme Court denied the UOC's request for a public hearing in its case against DESS.
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