Court finds no evidence of Ukrainophobia in Metropolitan of Cherkasy

Metropolitan Theodosiy during the court session. Photo: Cherkasy Eparchy

On December 26, 2025, the Sosnivsky District Court of Cherkasy extended the preventive measure for Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv in the form of a personal commitment for two months. At the same time, the court rejected all the prosecutor's arguments about the archbishop's alleged "Ukrainophobic sentiments".

Prosecutor K. Kostenko petitioned for the extension of the preventive measure, citing the risks of the defendant hiding from the court and the possibility of illegal influence on victims and witnesses. The prosecutor particularly emphasized that "the defendant has distinctly expressed Ukrainophobic sentiments and holds a negative attitude towards the Ukrainian authorities and Ukrainian society, the population as a whole."

However, in its ruling the court clearly stated: "The prosecutor’s references to the claim that Snihirev D. L. (Metropolitan Theodosiy) harbors clearly expressed Ukrainophobic sentiments and has a negative attitude toward the Ukrainian population are unfounded and were not confirmed during the court proceedings."

The court also noted that "as of today, the court has not established, and the prosecutor has not proven, the existence of a risk of unlawful influence by the defendant on the questioned victims and witnesses".

The preventive measure was extended solely on formal grounds – due to the severity of the article of accusation (436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), under which the case cannot remain without a preventive measure at the stage of court consideration.

As noted by the press service of the Cherkasy Eparchy, the media covering the session omitted the court's conclusions, publishing only the prosecutor's accusations.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that at a court hearing in Cherkasy, Metropolitan Theodosiy was accused of delivering an improper sermon.

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