Ukrainian City Council Dismisses Mayor Who Persecuted UOC

Oleksandr Markushyn. Source: UOJ Ukraine

KYIV — On July 29, 2025, the City Council of Irpin City Council in the Kyiv region voted to terminate the powers of Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn. A majority of deputies voted no confidence in Markushyn, who, through illegal gatherings of outsiders in Irpin, "transferred" all UOC churches to the OCU.

The day before, Markushyn wrote on Facebook that during the City Council session, the so-called raiders "are implementing another attempt to seize power in Irpin," trying to transfer the mayor's powers to the secretary.

Markushyn organized and supported the seizures of the Trinity, St. George, St. Nicholas, St. Michael, and Resurrection churches of the UOC in the city. Under his leadership, the Irpin City Council also appealed to Zelensky to ban the UOC.

As reported by the UOJ, on January 23, 2025, the Pechersk Court sent the mayor of Irpin to a pre-trial detention center until March 22, and he was suspended from office during this time.

Markushyn has also been implicated in several corruption scandals.

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