Eight Ukrainian Orthodox Church churches in Luhansk region were shelled by pro-Russian militants and destroyed, according to a report issued by the press service of Luhansk region's military and civil administration head Hennadiy Moskal.
"During the period of hostilities in Luhansk region, eight churches have been ruined in shelling by militants in towns and villages in territory controlled by Ukraine. All of them belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Most churches have had their windows broken, the facade has been damaged by fragments, and the roof has been destroyed. Some have suffered severe damage as a result of the direct hits of artillery and rockets," the report reads.
The destroyed churches are the St. Elias Church in Lysychansk, the Temple of the Three Saints and St. Nicholas Church (both in Popasna), St. Nicholas Church in the village of Holubivske, the Church of the Holy Trinity in the village of Troyitske, St. Nicholas Church with the Chapel of St. Seraphim of Sarov in the village of Novotoshkivske, the Chapel of St. Panteleimon in the village of Toshkivka (all in Popasna district), and the Church of the Patronage of the Mother of God in the village of Triokhizbenka in Novoaidarsky district.
"The ruined churches with damaged altars and icons are a visual confirmation of what "the Orthodox world" Russians and their mercenaries are fighting in Donbas for," Moskal said.
