Russian forces destroy historic church in Sumy Oblast – photo
Russian forces destroyed the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a monument of national significance, in the village of Yunakivka in Sumy Oblast.
Source: Kordon.Media, a regional media in Sumy Oblast
Details: The church, which appears on the coat of arms of the Sumy district, was built in 1806. Construction lasted 13 years. It is an example of early Classicist architecture. The building was made of brick and decorated with columns. Four domes with round windows were placed around the central dome. A separate bell tower was also built.
The church was depicted on the coat of arms of the Sumy district, which was approved on 31 January 2001. The monument appears against a blue background, a colour typical of Cossack banners.
The church previously belonged to the Sumy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, and it was the centre of spiritual life in Yunakivka. However, from the 2000s into the 2010s, it gradually began to deteriorate and was in a semi-derelict condition.
Architect and activist Ihor Tytarenko said that the monument had survived revolutions and the First and Second World Wars. The church had long been undergoing restoration. Before the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, services were held in the basement part of the building, in the so-called winter church.
Background: In 2024, the church was already damaged by Russian attacks.
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