In Volyn, believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) are continuing their legal battle for the right to use a church claimed by the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU)

Believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in the city of Kamen-Kashirsky continue to defend, through legal proceedings, their community’s right to use the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God. The conflict, which has been ongoing since 2019, has entered the stage of active legal proceedings against representatives of the OCU.

According to the regional publication “BUG,” , the dispute stems from a decision by the Volyn Regional State Administration, adopted in September 2023, to register a revised version of the religious community’s charter as part of the OCU. Parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), who opposed the re-registration, continue to challenge the legality of these actions, seeking to retain access to the church, which is an 18th-century architectural monument.

In the spring of 2025, opponents from the OCU initiated legal proceedings by filing a lawsuit demanding the removal of obstacles to the use of the church and the adjacent land. To date, more than 30 court hearings have already taken place in the case. Throughout the legal proceedings, the UOC has actively utilized the legal remedies available to it, filing motions and appealing procedural decisions.

Although representatives of the OCU possess registration documents, the dispute has not yet been definitively resolved. The trial on the merits of the case continues, and believers of the UOC declare their intention to defend their rights to the end, despite accusations from their opponents that they are dragging out the process.