OCU bishop made $300K, kept entire battalion off front lines – scholar

OCU “Bishop” Kyrylo Mykhailiuk. Photo: Instagram

Religious scholar Nikolai Mitrokhin commented on the sentencing of OCU “Bishop” Kyrylo (Mykhailo Mykhailiuk). In a Facebook post, he estimated that Mykhailiuk had earned approximately $300,000 by selling clerical ranks to draft evaders.

Mitrokhin also pointed out that priests and monks of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are being sent into the military, while the Church has no means of resolving issues with Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRCs).

“Now, the OCU is in a league of its own compared to the UOC – a true champion of ordinary Ukrainians' lives, provided they've got a measly thousand dollars to spare. For that paltry sum, Bishop Kyrylo of Uzhhorod would happily make them deacons, guaranteeing them a way out of trouble with the TRC and, essentially, saving their lives. He saved 291 men from the war. Kept an entire battalion off the front lines. Pocketed some $300,000. What a hero. Bravo!” Mitrokhin wrote sarcastically.

The Kalush City Court found the “bishop” of the Uzhhorod-Khust Eparchy guilty of obstructing the lawful activities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The 62-year-old “bishop” entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors and received a five-year prison sentence, suspended in favor of three years' probation.

The court took into account Mykhailiuk's “remorse,” cooperation with investigators, and a charitable donation of 500,000 hryvnias to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. On February 2, 2026, the OCU Synod removed Kyrylo from his position as head of the eparchy. He was taken into custody on February 18 and released on February 24 after posting bail of 233,000 hryvnias.

As previously reported by the UOJ, a UOC hierarch raised the issue of discriminatory mobilization practices in Ukraine at the United Nations.

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