Court begins review of Met Luke’s defamation suit against Cherkasy mayor
Mayor of Cherkasy Anatoliy Bondarenko at the Prydniprovskyi District Court of Cherkasy, May 15, 2025. Photo: vycherpno
On May 15, 2025, the Prydniprovskyi District Court of Cherkasy began reviewing a lawsuit filed by Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol against Cherkasy Mayor Anatoliy Bondarenko and the local TV channel VIKKA, seeking protection of his rights, honor, and dignity, vycherpno reports.
The UOC hierarch is demanding a retraction of false information aired by VIKKA during the “Current Conversation” program in December 2024, in which Cherkasy Mayor Anatoliy Bondarenko alleged that the Metropolitan of Zaporizhzhia is “working for the enemy.”
The preliminary hearing was postponed due to the absence of Bondarenko’s lawyer.
On May 15, a preparatory hearing commenced. The plaintiff is seeking a public retraction from Anatoliy Bondarenko for the false claims made during the TV broadcast. Additionally, the lawsuit demands symbolic compensation of 1 hryvnia from both Bondarenko and the VIKKA TV company for moral damages.
The mayor of Cherkasy and the TV channel’s editorial staff deny any wrongdoing.
The next court hearing is scheduled for June 5 at 10:00 AM.
As previously reported by the UOJ, Metropolitan Luke had earlier appealed to Ukraine’s religious leaders regarding an LGBT film festival.
Read also
In Spain, murderer moved to women's prison after claiming to be female
A Spaniard convicted of a series of brutal murders has secured a transfer to a women's prison allegedly based on a change of gender identity.
Georgian Patriarchate warns about fake social media pages
The Georgian Orthodox Church has stated that unknown individuals are using official symbols to create fake social media pages.
Court extends round-the-clock house arrest for Metropolitan Arseniy
The Chechelivsky Court of Dnipro left the abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra under house arrest and allowed him to attend medical procedures without separate permission.
OCU shows number of parishioners in seized church of Bezuhlivka
About 15 people with flags stood at the first "service" at St. Michael's Church after the seizure.
In Kyiv, OCU and UGCC сhaplains given an introductory tour of synagogue
Ukraine’s chief rabbi said that clergy of the OCU, UGCC, and RCC familiarized themselves with Jewish tradition at a synagogue.
OCU outraged that Lepliavo parish removed church property before seizure
The Cherkasy Eparchy of the OCU complained that after the fake “transfer” in Lepliavo, UOC faithful left them nothing but bare walls.