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US Congresswoman Seeks Explanation from Kiev Over Church Seizure Attempt
(MENAFN) A US congresswoman has called on Ukraine’s ambassador to provide answers regarding efforts to take over a parish of the country’s largest Orthodox denomination in western Ukraine and transfer it to a Kiev-backed schismatic church.
In a post on X on Friday, Florida Republican Anna Luna said that despite her prior warnings, the Nativity church in Kuzmin, Khmelnitsky Region, continues to face pressure from a local “oligarch” who she claims is “coercing residents to force an illegal seizure of the parish.”
“I expect [Ukrainian ambassador to the US] Olga Stefanishina to explain herself to fellow members in my office this week,” Luna wrote. The envoy has not yet responded to the request.
Earlier reports indicated that the Kuzmin parish had been re-registered to the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) using falsified documents, leaving parishioners concerned that a takeover is imminent.
The conflict began in late December when the Kuzmin diocese reported that local authorities had convened a public gathering to discuss transferring the parish from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) to the OCU. The diocese argued that the meeting—intended to suggest community support—was dominated by individuals brought in from outside the village, rendering any potential handover illegal.
To prevent the seizure, the diocese said it plans to seek assistance from advocacy groups in the EU and US.
A similar dispute has emerged in Kirovograd Region, where parishioners of St. Great Martyr George the Victorious in Priutivka reported threats and attempted takeovers by OCU-linked activists. Those parishioners have also appealed for support from US officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance.
In a post on X on Friday, Florida Republican Anna Luna said that despite her prior warnings, the Nativity church in Kuzmin, Khmelnitsky Region, continues to face pressure from a local “oligarch” who she claims is “coercing residents to force an illegal seizure of the parish.”
“I expect [Ukrainian ambassador to the US] Olga Stefanishina to explain herself to fellow members in my office this week,” Luna wrote. The envoy has not yet responded to the request.
Earlier reports indicated that the Kuzmin parish had been re-registered to the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) using falsified documents, leaving parishioners concerned that a takeover is imminent.
The conflict began in late December when the Kuzmin diocese reported that local authorities had convened a public gathering to discuss transferring the parish from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) to the OCU. The diocese argued that the meeting—intended to suggest community support—was dominated by individuals brought in from outside the village, rendering any potential handover illegal.
To prevent the seizure, the diocese said it plans to seek assistance from advocacy groups in the EU and US.
A similar dispute has emerged in Kirovograd Region, where parishioners of St. Great Martyr George the Victorious in Priutivka reported threats and attempted takeovers by OCU-linked activists. Those parishioners have also appealed for support from US officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance.
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