Russian drone destroys Holy Dormition Church in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
The Holy Dormition Church caught fire in the settlement of Mezhova in the east of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on 9 June as a result of a Russian attack.
Source: Mezhivskyi Meridian, a local media outlet
Details: Early reports indicate the fire broke out after a Russian drone hit the church. Mezhova is located about 10 km from the front line and regularly comes under Russian strikes and drone attacks.
Released photos and videos show the building engulfed in flames. Early reports suggest the church was almost completely burned down.
Residents of the hromada said the Holy Dormition Church had been the settlement's spiritual centre and one of its main landmarks for more than two decades. Services, baptisms, weddings and funerals were held there. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.]
The first Holy Dormition Church in Mezhova was built in 1830 in honour of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God. In 1972, the Soviet authorities destroyed the church and later built a school on the site.
After the hromada was revived following Ukraine's independence, worshippers were given the premises of a former hospital to use for church services. Construction of a new church began in the late 1990s, and it was consecrated on 7 September 2002. Several years ago, the building underwent a major restoration, including the renovation of its iconostasis and interior.
In November 2025, the church was damaged by a Russian attack. The central dome, facade, doors and church supplies sustained damage. Despite the destruction, the building was restored.
Father Heorhii, the church rector, said the loss is a painful blow to the hromada.
"It is very difficult to say anything now. This is the place where we all prayed together as a community. This is where we shared our joys and our grief, our prayers for peace and for our defenders. But we will rebuild everything," Father Heorhii said.
The full extent of the damage is still being assessed. Local residents and clergy have already said they intend to restore the church after the fighting ends and the security situation stabilises.
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