Singing the National Anthem, OCU Group Seizes UOC Church in Zastavna

In the city of Zastavna in Bukovina, another forceful seizure of a Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) church took place. A group of activists from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) broke through the fence and stormed the territory of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos Church, aggressively pushing out parishioners. Footage of the raid was published by the «Dozor» channel on «First Cossack».

During the attack, the intruders used angle grinders, crowbars, and other tools to break into the church. As seen in the video, an OCU cleric personally participated in the crime — he himself broke down the church doors.

Police were present at the scene but remained passive while UOC faithful were being forcibly removed from church grounds. Only at the church doors did law enforcement intervene — not to protect the parishioners, but to form a corridor for the raiders, facilitating their access to the sanctuary.

The parishioners stood as a human shield before the entrance, trying to prevent the desecration of the holy place. However, the OCU activists began singing the national anthem and, under its accompaniment, carried out the forceful takeover of the church.

Earlier, we reported that the press service of the Khmelnytskyi Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church issued a statement regarding the seizure of the Resurrection Church in the city of Krasyliv by OCU supporters. The diocese noted that not only representatives of the Ukrainian schism but also local authorities and police took part in the seizure.