https://sputnikglobe.com/20260109/these-illegal-seizures-must-stop---rep-luna-on-persecution-of-orthodox-christians-in-ukraine-1123441448.html
'These Illegal Seizures Must Stop!' - Rep. Luna on Persecution of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine
'These Illegal Seizures Must Stop!' - Rep. Luna on Persecution of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine
Sputnik International
US Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna vowed to hold Ukrainian officials accountable for church seizures.
2026-01-09T04:46+0000
2026-01-09T04:46+0000
2026-01-29T17:29+0000
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"This morning I received a video appeal from Orthodox Christians in Kuzmyn, Ukraine asking for protection as the local authorities move to seize their church, a church built by their parents and grandparents. These illegal seizures must stop!" the representative wrote on X.In her post, she tagged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the US Department of State.Since the 2014 US-backed coup, Ukraine has pushed a systematic campaign to break the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) of the Moscow Patriarchate and force its flock to accept the nationalist Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). The pressure escalated after 2022: raids and searches, criminal cases against clergy, property seizures, and local bans on UOC activity across multiple regions.In 2023 the drive moved openly against major shrines, with schismatics encouraged to seize Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, while lawmakers advanced legislation aimed at banning the canonical Church. In 2024, Kiev’s new laws effectively banned the UOC.
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'These Illegal Seizures Must Stop!' - Rep. Luna on Persecution of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine
04:46 GMT 09.01.2026 (Updated: 17:29 GMT 29.01.2026) US Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna vowed to hold Ukrainian officials accountable for church seizures.
"This morning I received a video appeal from Orthodox Christians in Kuzmyn, Ukraine asking for protection as the local authorities move to seize their church, a church built by their parents and grandparents. These illegal seizures must stop!" the representative wrote on X.
"We will be working to document church seizures in Ukraine and bringing Ukrainian officials involved in these illegal seizures to justice," she added.
In her post, she tagged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the US Department of State.
Since the 2014 US-backed coup, Ukraine has pushed a systematic campaign to break the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) of the Moscow Patriarchate and force its flock to accept the nationalist Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).
The pressure escalated after 2022: raids and searches, criminal cases against clergy, property seizures, and local bans on UOC activity across multiple regions.
In 2023 the drive moved openly against major shrines, with schismatics encouraged
to seize Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, while lawmakers advanced legislation aimed at banning the canonical Church.
In 2024, Kiev’s new laws effectively banned the UOC.
