Court in Metropolitan Theodosiy case fines forensic psycholinguistic expert

Metropolitan Theodosiy in court. Photo: Ukrinform

Another hearing in the case of Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv was held on March 19, 2026, at the Sosnivka District Court of Cherkasy, where the court decided to fine a forensic psycholinguistic expert for failing to appear, according to Dozor on the First Cossack channel.

According to sources, the hearing was expected to include the questioning of Anna Stromylo, an expert from the Cherkasy branch of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, whose findings are being used as one of the key pieces of evidence in the case.

It is noted that the charges were formulated precisely on the basis of her “expert conclusions” regarding the hierarch’s pre-war interviews with Ukrainian television channels. In those appearances, Metropolitan Theodosiy, among other things, publicly defended the rights of the UOC.

At the same time, the report says the expert once again failed to appear in court. The defense argues that her conclusions do not withstand scrutiny and have previously been called into question, including in other court proceedings where similar materials were ruled inadmissible as evidence.

The court reportedly imposed a fine on the expert for systematically ignoring court summonses and violating procedural norms. In addition, the defense raised the issue of possible liability for knowingly providing false expert conclusions, as well as signs of bias in the materials submitted.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy said the forced mobilization of UOC clergy amounted to a crime and genocide.

Read also

Greek priest: Sad to see Orthodox Christians fighting each other in Ukraine

Fr. Georgios Katsaounis recalled the historical ties between the Russian and Ukrainian peoples and criticized the Greek Prime Minister’s statement about a “war with Russia.”

Anglican Archbishop: Ban on women's priesthood in RCC is an injustice

After her visit to the pontiff, Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally touched on the topic of women's priesthood in the RCC in an interview and called the ban on it "an injustice."

Greek priest on Pope's visit to Phanar: faith must not be sold

Archpriest Georgios Katsaounis warned that in the modern ecumenical dialogue there are serious risks of diluting Orthodox dogmas.

Greek priest: The principle of papal supremacy in Catholicism is a disease

Archpriest Georgios Katsaounis stated that Western Christianity suffers from the principle of one person's supremacy, and called this a spiritual illness.

In Egypt, Coptic blogger sentenced to 5 years for videos about Christianity

A Coptic blogger was sentenced to five years in prison with hard labor under a blasphemy law for publishing a video about Christianity.

Patriarchate of Georgia denies ROC influence on election of patriarch

Archpriest Andria Jagmaidze stated that rumors about pressure from the Russian Orthodox Church on Patriarch Ilia regarding the selection of a locum tenens are false.