In Cherkasy, a church on Firefighters' Institute premises seized from UOC
Orthodox Christians who had prayed in this church since its foundation were only allowed to take their utensils and belongings.
On March 18, 2025, representatives of the OCU, together with the police, came to the UOC temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Burning Bush" in Cherkassy, presenting falsified documents for the parish. The illegal re-registration of the religious community took place on February 28, the Telegram channel "Dozor" reports.
At the same time, according to Dozor, the management of the Cherkasy Institute of Fire Safety stated that the contract with the parish of the church allegedly ended "a long time ago." The police showed a letter on the right to use the "re-registered" parish signed by the rector.
"In fact, an absurd collision has emerged. It is unclear why the OCU falsified documents for the parish at all, when the right of ownership of the church belonged to the institute. Apparently, they are committing this crime out of inertia. Only three people were present from the "newly formed" community: serial raider of the OCU Nazariy Zasansky, his accomplice, and the lawyer of the Cherkasy OCU," the journalists note.
Several dozen parishioners of the church gathered at the site. They were allowed to take their utensils and belongings.
“The UOC parish, which existed in the church since its foundation, was deprived of the right to pray,” the statement said.
As the UOJ previously wrote, in the city of Brovary in the Kyiv region, representatives of the OCU, with the support of local authorities, are trying to seize the Cathedral of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, which belongs to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
