State media report beating of UOC priests by OCU supporters during seizure of church in Kremenchuk

on June 4, 2026, in Kremenchuk, representatives of the OCU seized the Holy Trinity Church of the UOC, which led to physical confrontation and injuries among the clergy. According to the Information and Education Department of the UOC, the incident was accompanied by a massive police presence and protests by believers who disagree with the forced re-registration of the community.

According to media reports, the conflict began after activists supporting the OCU arrived at the shrine. The Orthodox believers of the UOC tried to defend the church, claiming that no real members of the parish took part in the meeting on the issue of changing jurisdiction. The Telegraph newspaper recorded an extremely aggressive situation at the scene: “on the one hand, prayers are heard, on the other – shouts and calls “Down with the Moscow priest!””.

The situation escalated to open violence. According to the Suspilne resource, several UOC clergymen were injured and required medical attention. The injured cleric of the Kremenchuk diocese, Archimandrite Joseph, told reporters that he was attacked, his cassock was torn and he was dragged by the hair, accompanied by death threats.

The UOC stressed that the clergy and parishioners intend to use all available mechanisms of national and international legal protection to restore their rights and legitimate interests. The confrontation around the Holy Trinity Church was another round of tension in interfaith relations in the region.