The AFU Song and Dance Ensemble Participated in the OCU's Dormition "Service" at the Lavra
The military song and dance ensemble performed the role of the choir at the OCU's festive Dormition service.
On August 15, 2026, the head of the OCU, Serhiy Dumenko, presided over a festive "divine service" on the occasion of the Dormition of the Mother of God according to the new calendar. The event took place at the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
Its highlight was the participation of the Honored Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, led by staff conductor Tiberiy Yatskulynets. The military ensemble, positioned in the cathedral's choir loft, performed the role of the kliros.
The situation was commented on in social media. A cleric of the UOC-KP, Yaroslav Yasenets, believes that Dumenko's structure has become a state church.
"Am I correct in understanding that a military choir is singing at Epiphanius's service at the Lavra? That is, military personnel, receiving a state salary funded by taxes — including those paid by UOC believers — are singing at the service of one religious figure?" — Yasenets asks.
In his opinion, the OCU is simply copying a practice that exists in the Russian Church. "One more proof that the OCU is the same ROC, only smaller," he wrote.
The same view was expressed by Archbishop Iona of Obukhiv. "Step-by-step aping of the ROC. It's even laughable," — the hierarch wrote.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the OCU revealed the number of people at the Transfiguration service in the seized Cathedral of Volodymyr.
