Ukraine Orthodox Church’s only temple in occupied Crimea plundered and destroyed (PHOTO)

Volodymyr and Olha Cathedral, the only temple of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine located in the annexed Simferopol has been looted and plundered.

This was reported by the Crimean Human Rights Group, citing Archbishop of the OCU’s Crimean Diocese, Klyment.

The priest noted that all church property belonging to the Crimea Diocese’s Administration has been stolen.

The “minister of property and land relations” of the occupied Crimea, Anna Anyuhina stood behind the plundering of the church disguised as “internal repairs”, all while Klyment set off to Washington to attend a conference on religious freedom.

Human rights activists recalled that on June 8, the “arbitration court” of Crimea ruled to terminate the lease of premises, which before the occupation was concluded with the Crimean Diocese of the UOC-KP.

The “court” obliged the church to return the premises to the Crimean occupation authorities and pay RUB 12,000 in duties to the Federal budget of the Russian Federation. The formal reason for contract termination was the debt worth UAH 2.3.

The Crimean Human Rights Group for several years has been fixing the facts of Russian occupation authorities in Crimea systematically violating religious freedoms.

During the occupation of the Crimea, almost all religious communities and organizations were subjected to harassment, restrictions, and persecution, except for the church of the Moscow Patriarchate.

As The Journalist reported, Senior pupils will study creation of UOC at school.