Last Ukrainian church in occupied Crimea is demolished

Russian occupiers in temporarily occupied Yevpatoriia, Crimea, have begun dismantling the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which belongs to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). Former Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Gyunduz Mamedov said that it was the last Ukrainian church in Crimea.

Source: Voice of Crimea; Gyunduz Mamedov, former Deputy Prosecutor General, on Twitter (X)

Details: According to the Voice of Crimea news portal, the demolition began on 21 July. The dome and the church’s upper level are already gone.

Voice of Crimea reported that the OCU parish has been under pressure since 2019 to comply with an order issued by a Russian-controlled court to demolish the church. The court ruling stated that the parish community was obliged to dismantle the religious building.

Despite constant threats and pressure to comply with the court ruling, the parishioners refused to cooperate. As a result, the Russian-controlled authorities in Yevpatoriia applied to the court again, this time requesting that they should demolish the church themselves and the costs be recovered from the parishioners.

Mamedov said that it was the last Ukrainian church in Crimea.

"Another instance of the Russian Federation's systemic discrimination against Ukrainians on the basis of ethnicity during the occupation. Metropolitan Kliment has announced that the last Ukrainian church in occupied Crimea is being demolished. The occupying authorities in Yevpatoriia have begun destroying the OCU Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross," Mamedov wrote.

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