In Simferopol, invaders seizing cathedral operated by Ukrainian Church

In temporarily occupied Crimea’s Simferopol, the Russian-controlled authorities are evicting Ukrainian clerics from the cathedral run by the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

That’s according to Andriy Shchekun, the editor-in-chief of the Krymska Svitlytsia online newspaper, who broke the news on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

"Right now, the occupiers are taking over the Cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in the city of Simferopol. The occupiers are breaking down the doors to the church, seizing, stealing the property of the Ukrainian Church in Crimea," Shchekun wrote.

According to the editor, the illegal raid is supervised by representatives of the so-called "state property fund of the Republic of Crimea of the Russian Federation" and "official bailiffs of the Republic of Crimea of the Russian Federation".

Shchekun referred to the development as a “treacherous” act as no explanations were offered and neither were any warnings issued to representatives of the religious community and clerics.

As reported earlier, the Russian invaders "nationalized" and put up for sale 700 enterprises in the temporarily occupied Crimea.