which extracts titanium-containing ores in Novomyrhorod (Kirovohrad region) has received a four-year grant of 7.3 million euros from the European Union This funding was awarded under the Resilient Value Chains 2024 competition of the REPTiS project aimed at improving titanium extraction and processing methods The project’s main goal is to enhance all stages of titanium production from ilmenite ore extraction at the Byrzulivske deposit to the production of final products such as titanium powders with a low carbon footprint The project will test new methods at Velta's facilities to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact noted that this grant underscores Ukraine’s importance as a strategic partner of the EU in the field of critical materials He also highlighted that Ukrainian technologies have garnered significant interest in Europe opening new opportunities for collaboration and development The REPTiS project brings together 11 leading European companies and research institutes specializing in titanium raw materials and final product production A key focus of the project is the development and refinement of eco-friendly titanium powder production technologies using the unique Ukrainian Velta Ti Process the Velta RD Titanium Research Center will showcase its advancements in waste processing and the production of high-quality titanium powders enabling the creation of end products such as aircraft parts The Ukrainian Orthodox Church has deposed three top-bishops They are dismissed because they are accused of supporting the Russian position The Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church fired Metropolitan Elisey of Izyum and Kupyansk, Metropolitan Joseph from Romny and Buryn, and Metropolitan, Ioasaf of Kropyvnytskyi and Novomyrhorod. That is reported by Religion.orf Metropolitans Elisha and Joseph have fled to Russia in the past months Metropolitan Elisey was accused of refusing to condemn the support of the Russian Patriarch Kirill for the invasion of Ukraine last July. At the time, he and his church decided that they would continue to commemorate the head of the patriarch to which the UOC belongs, Interfax writes the leading Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv already stripped him from his authority as a clergyman the Ukrainian intelligence service is said to have found evidence of the pro-Russian activities of Metropolitan Joseph The official dismissals come after the Ukrainian authorities raided several church facilities in western Ukraine on Tuesday One of the locations was the Kyiv Perchersk Lavra The Ukrainian secret service is said to have confiscated pro-Russian literature that propagated the idea of the Russian World many media in both Ukraine and Russia report At the same time, the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has decided to consecrate its own liturgical oil. That is reported by Katholisch.de the UOC received its so-called myrrh from Moscow The church in Kyiv was allowed to consecrate this until the Russian Revolution in 1917 but stopped after that According to the Orthodox rules, only an autocephalous (fully independent) church may consecrate the anointing oil. Therefore, Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin from the Moscow Theological Academy argues that Moscow should first give permission and authority to the UOC to brew the oil, Sphz writes The Russian Orthodox Church sees this as a step of the UOC towards autonomy which would mean a break with the Russian mother church the UOC still has an official link with the Moscow Patriarchate although they have distanced themselves from this church centre after the Russian invasion of Ukraine