The cleric of the OCU, a former priest of the UOC Vladimir Maglena, told Donbass Today about how he moved “for freedom” to a new church structure. According to him, having learned about Vladimir’s transfer to the OCU, the keys to the church were taken from him, and the villagers signed against his decision.

“They went around all the yards. Everyone signed against me. One person who did not subscribe was not my parishioner,” recalls Vladimir Maglena.

After he gave the keys, the OCU community was formed in Starobelsk. There he also opened a parish, but over time the services became less and, as Vladimir himself says, “the community withered.” Quarantine put the point. Then Vladimir decided to switch to an online ministry – he created his own podcast on TikTok.