Donetsk, December 7, 2014
“62 Orthodox churches have been damaged in one way or another in the Donetsk region in the present conflict. These are churches of the Horlivka and Donetsk Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. Some of them are almost completely destroyed: for example, the Iveron Convent, the Church of St. John of Kronstadt are in ruins, churches of Makiivka and Ilovaisk are severely damaged. There are also churches damaged by shrapnel, with partial destruction, where windows are broken, roofs are pierced, or plaster has fallen off walls,” related Archpriest George Gulyaev, press secretary of the Donetsk Diocese (UOC MP) and Rector of St. Ignatius Church, in his interview with UNIAN-Religia bulletin.
He has also noted that the people who assisted in construction and restoration of churches before the war have in the majority of cases left Donbass by now, reports Pravoslavnaya Zhizn (Orthodox Life) portal.
