Greek media report on Ukrainian authorities' persecution of UOC

On 7 April 2023, the largest Greek Orthodox resource "Romfea" told its readers about the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by the Ukrainian authorities.

In an article entitled "Με αρπαγές Ναών και διώξεις αντέδρασε η Κυβέρνηση της Ουκρανίας", the resource revealed that "between 2 and 5 April 2023 the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the western regions of Ukraine worsened."

"In particular, two cathedrals and several parish churches were seized in Khmelnytskyi, Lviv, Rivne and Chernivtsi regions," the Greek media outlet wrote.

"Romfea" details what is happening in Ukraine in relation to the UOC and claims that "priests" of the OCU and "supporters of extremist right-wing organizations" are most actively involved in the "violent seizures of churches".

The Greeks call the decisions of the UOC "communities" to "transfer" to the OCU "false" and inform their readers that during the seizure of the cathedral in Khmelnytskyi "the same individuals who previously committed provocations against believers in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra were seen". These "experts", according to Romfea, were sent from Kyiv.

"The bodies of local administrations were recommended to seize the land plots on which the churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are located," the publication claims.

Further detailing how the Lviv Cathedral was seized with the help of the police, “Romfea” reported that on 6 April an excavator demolished the Church of St Prince Volodymyr in Lviv: "…. the deputy mayor said that the church was demolished by the OCU community for the purpose of 'landscaping the territory'".

Furthermore, the publication described the situation in the Khmelnytskyi region as well where the local councils of Khmelnytskyi and Kamyanets-Podilskyi decided to ban the UOC from using the land plots. At the same time, Romfea says that "rumour has it "that the mayor of Khmelnytskyi, Simchyshyn, is a Uniat.

After the story about the seizure of the church in Zadubrivka, the publication stressed that "in his daily evening TV address, V. Zelenskyy indirectly guaranteed the continuation of pressure on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, saying: "We have the internal situation under control. No one will be able to ruin Ukraine either inside or outside".

As reported, the “Fox News” channel, commenting on the banning of the UOC, called it "an absolute disgrace".