Young Republican Leader Exposes Ukrainian Officials Over Church Persecution

Credit: Facebook

JUNE 2, 2025—In a viral video posted to X (formerly Twitter), Catherine Whiteford, Co-Chairman of the Young Republican National Federation (YRNF), publicly denounced Ukrainian government officials for their role in persecuting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

Far from a mere political statement, the 17-minute video investigation presents the identities and actions of Ukrainian officials complicit in the suppression of the UOC. Elected representatives, intelligence officers, and law enforcement leaders are called out by name, with images and documentation shown to the audience.

Remember the names of these officials: Nila Ostrovska, Ivan Kulinich, Serhiy Bobukh, Yuriy Oleksandrovich Sharagov, Roman Tomchyshyn, Valentin Belyansky—all of whom would have already been brought to justice in the USA.

Many of these officials are shown in the video to be not merely directly involved in the seizures but directly taking part in violence. 

One such example takes place in the Khmelnytsky region. "On July 24, 2022," Whiteford says, "a group of the state sponsored OCU activists led by the chairman of the Khmelnytsky district council, Oleksandr Chernievich, came to the Church of St. Paraskeva Pyatnitsa in the village of Pyrogivtsi."

As the footage rolls, Whiteford continues, "The video recorded Chernievich himself beating women and throwing them to the ground. The priest was literally dragged along the ground. The police present at the scene did nothing."

Whiteford claims she will forward the evidence to the Trump administration and the Department of Justice, urging U.S. officials to respond. “We are forwarding their names and evidence to the Trump administration and Department of Justice,” she states firmly.

The timing of the video’s recording appears to coincide with Whiteford’s recent visit to Washington, D.C., where she posted photos from the White House in late May. This has sparked speculation that she may have already shared the information with members of the administration behind closed doors.

Whiteford has been outspoken on the issue in the past. During President Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025, she released a warning to those targeting the UOC: “Judgment is coming.”

Adding weight to the issue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently claimed at a press conference that the persecution of the UOC was allegedly discussed during a two-hour phone call between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

UOJ-America previously reported the release of a statement from the New York Young Republicans condemning what they called "Zelensky's spiritual ethnic cleansing of Ukraine."

Read also