Intruders break into Church of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God in Sloviansk

On the night of 1 October 2026, unknown persons forced locks and entered the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s Church of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God (Храм Державної ікони Божої Матері) in Sloviansk, Donetsk region. Archbishop Paisius of Kostiantynivka said the vandals broke down doors, damaged church furnishings, and desecrated sacred objects. He said OCU activists were suspected after prior attempts to transfer three Sloviansk religious communities to the OCU. Police were called and opened an investigation into unlawful entry. UOC Information and Education Department / SPZH reported 1 October 2026.

Coordinates are the Nominatim amenity place_of_worship pin for Храм Державної ікони Божої Матері, 13 Batyuka Street, Sloviansk (48.8561028, 37.5734796). Same night as sloviansk-seraphim-sarov-vandalism-2026; filed as a separate named church. OCU-activist attribution is the archbishop’s statement, not an adjudicated finding.