UOC parishioners prevent attempt to transfer community to OCU in Kusnyshcha village, Volyn region

on May 9, 2026, in the village of Kusnyshcha, Volyn region, believers of the Transfiguration parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) thwarted an attempt to transfer their community to the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). The incident was accompanied by accusations against the organizers of the meeting of gross violations of the law and falsification of procedures.

According to the Bug news portal, the main reason for the parishioners’ protest was the discovery of pre-filled forms with ready-made voting results. Video footage from the scene shows the indignation of local residents at the fact that legally significant documents were prepared before the official discussion began.

During the event, representatives of the OCU tried to argue the legitimacy of their actions by substituting concepts: they claimed that the territorial community of the village, and not exclusively the religious community of believers, should decide the fate of the parish. The OCU cleric who arrived said that the purpose of the meeting was to «eradicate the Moscow church,» but he could not specify the name of the community that allegedly asked him to change church jurisdiction.

Due to the manipulations and pressure from the organizers, members of the Transfiguration community of the UOC refused to continue the meeting and expelled the initiators of the process shouting «Shame!». This case once again emphasized the severity of interfaith disputes in the Volyn region.

As reported, on February 21, in the village of Smolyhiv, Lutsk district, Volyn region, a meeting of the territorial community was held on the issue of the transfer of St. Nicholas Church from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the OCU. The event was held in the Center of Culture in an extremely tense atmosphere, accompanied by heated discussions and disputes in the presence of law enforcement agencies. Despite public and administrative pressure, the UOC believers managed to take part in the meeting and defend their church through an open vote.