Irpin City Council dismisses mayor who persecuted UOC
Oleksandr Markushyn. Photo: Markushyn's Facebook
The Irpin City Council in the Kyiv region voted on July 29, 2025, to terminate the powers of Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn. A majority of deputies voted no confidence in Markushyn, who, through illegal gatherings of outsiders in Irpin, "transferred" all UOC churches to the OCU. This was reported by "Suspilne".
The day before, the official wrote on Facebook that during the City Council session, the so-called raiders "are implementing another attempt to seize power in Irpin," trying to transfer the mayor's powers to the secretary.
Oleksandr Markushyn organized and supported the seizures of the Trinity, St. George's, St. Nicholas's, and Resurrection Churches of the UOC in the city, as well as St. Michael's Church in the suburb of Irpin - the village of Mykhailivka-Rubezhivka. Under his leadership, the Irpin City Council also appealed to Zelensky to ban the UOC.
As reported by the UOJ, on January 23, 2025, the Pechersk Court sent the mayor of Irpin to a pre-trial detention center until March 22, and he was suspended from office during this time. Markushyn was charged with illegal border crossing.
Moreover, in 2024, the mayor of Irpin was involved in corruption scandals. City deputies accused him of falsifying City Council decisions, embezzling the local budget through the registration of "dead souls," and kickbacks from the salaries of executive committee employees.
Read also
Greece signs memorandum on protection of Jerusalem Patriarchate's shrines
Next week, the Greek Parliament will ratify a document on the protection of the cultural heritage of the Jerusalem Patriarchate.
Greek bishop calls imposition of same-sex marriage a threat
Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythera urged families to become a “domestic church” amid threats to the Christian family in Greek laws and school curricula.
Patriarch Bartholomew arrives in Budapest for opening of Orthodox center
The Ecumenical Patriarch has arrived in Hungary, where he will preside over the consecration of the Orthodox center "Phanarion."
OCU raiders stage attack on seized church in Kyiv, media
OCU "hierarch" Serhiy Horobtsov published a provocative post online regarding St. John's Church in Bykivnia seized by his people.