Two Orthodox churches were severely damaged by recent Russian attacks in the regions of Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk. One of the churches, over 150 years old, had only recently been restored. The damage was caused by both air-dropped bombs and drone strikes.
Russian forces frequently target places of worship belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. Yet Metropolitan Onufriy continues to struggle to distance the church from its ties to the Russian Orthodox Church and Patriarch Kirill.
According to the official Telegram channel of Onufriy’s church, on May 3, the Ascension Church in Novopavlivka village (Dnipropetrovsk region) was completely destroyed by a Russian aerial bomb. Only the outer walls of the historic building remained. The dome and roof were entirely obliterated. During the Soviet era, the church had been converted into a dairy factory, but about 15 years ago it was restored and returned to religious use.
A few days later, on May 6 at 6:18 a.m., two Russian “Shahed” drones directly struck the Church of Saint Ambrose of Optina in the city of Dobropillia, Donetsk region. The church sustained heavy damage, including the roof, walls, and interior furnishings. The sanctuary was left covered in dust, debris, and destroyed religious artifacts.
