Among the group of raiders who made an unsuccessful attempt to seize the Holy Spirit Cathedral of the Chernivtsi Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, a direct relative of the head of the OCU, Epiphany Dumenko, was identified—his uncle, Ivan Chokalyuk. Chokalyuk, being a “chaplain” of the OCU, was one of the first to break into the utility rooms of the Holy Spirit Cathedral, while the raiders were beating the priests of the UOC. This was reported by the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Diocese of the UOC.
«Ivan Chokalyuk was directly involved in the bloody storming of the Holy Spirit Cathedral on June 17, 2025. He is responsible for the bloodshed and looting of the cathedral’s altar. He is accountable to the Kyiv leadership of the OCU. In the group of militants, he was one of the first to take control of the cathedral. The bandit Ivan is the uncle of the prominent Ukrainian politician Epiphany Dumenko. In Bukovina, he is considered to be Epiphany’s eyes and ears. He is also a priest of the OCU in Mamayevtsy, administrator of the Chernivtsi diocese of the OCU, and a chaplain on the state payroll,» — the statement of the Chernivtsi-Bukovina diocese of the UOC emphasizes.
We recall that on June 17, 2025, in Chernivtsi, there was an attempt to violently seize the Holy Spirit Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by raiders associated with the OCU. According to reports from believers and representatives of the Chernivtsi-Bukovina Diocese, about 50 people in balaclavas and sportswear blocked all entrances to the temple. Eyewitnesses report that the attackers used force against believers and also used tear gas. One of the videos from the scene shows the bloodied hand of one of the victims.
