In Rivne region, unknown persons tried to set fire to UOC church

On February 5, 2025, in the village of Yaroslavichi, Rivne region, unknown attackers attempted to set fire to the local church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. Supporters of the OCU, who seized the UOC church in 2019, are suspected of the crime, but cannot accept the fact that the community of the canonical Church has survived and built a new religious building. This is reported by the official website of the Rivne Diocese of the UOC.

It is reported that the traces of the crime were noticed by a parishioner of the said church, who once gave her land for its construction. She noticed a blackened window with signs of arson and immediately called the police. Law enforcement officers and dog handlers arrived at the scene and examined the area. An investigation is currently underway, and the perpetrators have not yet been identified.

The church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Yaroslavychi was built in 2020 after the local community was deprived of their former church in 2019. After the so-called “transition” meeting, the church was seized by supporters of the OCU, and UOC believers were forced to build a new church.

As we reported earlier, on the night of August 23, 2024, an unknown person threw a grenade into the adapted premises of the Holy Protection religious community of the UOC in the village of Strelsk, Rivne region (Sarny Diocese of the UOC), where believers were performing services. Earlier, the local Holy Protection Church was seized by representatives of the OCU, as a result of which the UOC community had to look for another place to meet their religious needs.