In which year was the Ukrainian Orthodox Church formed?

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) is an independent, self-governing Eastern Orthodox church whose primate is the Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine. It has a curious history.

In 988 the first church in Ukraine was formed under Metropolitanate of Kyiv, but subject to the Patriarchate of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul). In 1448, the Council of Moscow's Bishops, without the consent of Constantinople, made their own appointment in Kyiv; this event is considered the start of the separation of the Moscow-based Orthodox Church. In 1685, the Moscow Patriarchate began the annexation of the Metropolitanate of Kyiv. The next year the authorities in Constantinople effectively made this official.

By the 21st century there were three Orthodox churches in Ukraine, one of which was part of the Russian Orthodox Church. On 15 December 2018, bishops from all three churches convened in Kyiv's Saint Sophia Cathedral to merge into the independent OCU. This step was then recognised by the Istanbul authorities.

Russia's president Vladimir Putin condemned the creation of the OCU saying that it was an attempt to legalise the schismatic communities in Ukraine under the jurisdiction of Istanbul, in violation of Orthodox canons. In 2019 the Moscow Patriarchate severed communion with the Church of Greece and Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that the OCU's recognition was predicated on the efforts of the US secretary of state Mike Pompeo.