In Bukovyna, SSU searches UOC priest's house during visit of Romanian Secretary for Religious Affairs

During the visit of Romanian Secretary of State for Religious Affairs Ciprian Olinici to Bukovyna, SSU officers searched the house of Archpriest Vasyl Kovalchuk, dean of the Storozhynets district of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna diocese of the UOC. According to media reports, the search was carried out on the denunciation of the notorious “chaplain” of the OCU Roman Hryshchuk, who is engaged in the implementation of raider attacks on UOC churches in the region. By the way, after the search, the priest was hospitalized in a pre-infarction condition. This was reported by the Telegram channel of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy of the UOC.

“Today, on the denunciation of Roman Hryshchuk, the house of Fr Vasyl was searched by the SSU. The reason: Fr. Vasyl’s son has been living there since 2007. Vasyl has been living in Russia since 2007. Since the first day of Lent, all Bukovinian media resources of the OCU have been conducting an organized media attack on the dean of the Storozhynets district. The reason: Fr. Vasyl’s steadfastness in protecting Orthodox communities. Vasily in the defense of the Orthodox communities of the Storozhynets deanery. His work to preserve Romanian traditions and worship in Romanian in the Romanian-speaking villages of Bukovyna is especially annoying for the OCU activists,” — the channel noted.

In addition, the media reported that the searches of Archpriest Vasyl Kovalchuk took place just a few hours before his meeting with Romanian Secretary of State for Religious Affairs Ciprian Olinic. The priest intended to inform the Romanian official about the situation with the violation of the rights of believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Bukovyna.

“The searches of Archpriest Vasyl Kovalchuk took place a few hours before his meeting with Secretary of State Ciprian Olinici of the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs of Romania and Romanian Ambassador to Kyiv Victor Micula. In addition to laying flowers at the grave of Yanku Flondor, which is located in the courtyard of St. George’s Church in Storozhynets, a conversation was also planned on the observance of the rights and freedoms of Orthodox Christians in Bukovyna,” — the media outlet added.

As reported, on March 5, 2025, the head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, Viktor Yelensky, met with the Secretary of State for Religious Affairs of Romania, Ciprian Olinici, who is on a visit to Chernivtsi. The parties discussed the deepening of cooperation and the development of dialogue between the OCU and the Romanian Orthodox Church.

In addition, Viktor Yelenskyy informed Ciprian Olinici about the anti-church law No. 3894 adopted in August last year, which is aimed at banning the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Yelenskyy assured his colleague that these measures “in no way restrict or limit religious freedom in Ukraine.”