Pastor Accused of Illegally Seizing Church Building in Brovary
Police and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in the Brovary district of Kyiv region have documented a case of illegal alienation of a church building. The rector of the St. Demetrius parish, which belongs to the Kyiv diocese of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), transferred the entire church complex to a charitable foundation he and his wife founded. This occurred just before the parish community's planned transition to the OCU. According to law enforcement, the total value of the community's real estate is nearly 6 million hryvnias.
In April 2024, the community assembly decided to join the OCU. The rector had created the charitable organization several months prior to this decision. Investigators also found that the cleric forged documents, inserting false information about the decisions of the parish assembly. Through a donation agreement, the church complex was transferred into the ownership of the clergyman's family foundation.
Ongoing Investigation and Religious Context in Ukraine
The investigative department of the Kyiv regional police, under the procedural guidance of the Kyiv regional prosecutor's office, has notified the rector of suspicion under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This article covers misappropriation of property on an especially large scale through abuse of official position. The investigation is ongoing.
This case unfolds against the backdrop of significant shifts in Ukraine's religious landscape following Russia's full-scale invasion. At the start of the war, 8,782 religious communities were affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate. Over four years of war, 934 communities have officially changed their jurisdiction to the OCU. As of today, 7,826 church communities in Ukraine maintain ties with the aggressor country.
This situation highlights the complex processes occurring within Ukraine's religious environment, particularly in the context of war and changing affiliations. The transition of communities to the OCU is part of a broader trend to distance Ukrainian Orthodoxy from Moscow's influence. Cases of alleged property seizure, like this one, risk creating additional tensions within communities seeking change, as questions of ownership and control of religious assets become increasingly contentious.