The DESS has initiated the process of dissolving the Rovenki Diocese of the UOC

The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) has officially announced the initiation of legal proceedings aimed at forcibly terminating the activities of the religious organization “Administration of the Rovenki Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church”.

According to , the official website of the DESS, the relevant decision was issued by the Sixth Administrative Court of Appeals on August 27, 2026. In Case No. 855/11/26, the agency is acting as the plaintiff, demanding the complete cessation of the operations of the aforementioned diocesan structure.

It is noteworthy that, as of today, the Rovenky Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is located in the Luhansk region, which is not under Ukraine’s control, and some time ago its leadership announced its accession to the Russian Orthodox Church. Thus, the question of how the DESS will pursue its claims against this legal entity remains open.