UOC-KP “patriarch”: Our cleric was killed for his religious beliefs

UOC-KP head Nikodym Kobzar. Photo: Suspilne

On October 10, 2026, UOC-KP head Nikodym Kobzar stated that cleric Oleksandr Salnyi had been killed because of his religious beliefs. He made the claim in an interview with the Patriot newspaper.

According to Nikodym, Salnyi was over 70 years old. After leaving the OCU for the Kyiv Patriarchate, he traveled to Sumy, where he was ordained. Following the service, he headed home to the village of Shevchenky in the Poltava region. Nikodym later received a call from a regional hospital informing him that Salnyi was in a coma and in critical condition. He died shortly afterward.

“When we were dressing the body of the deceased Father Oleksandr, I could say with certainty that this was the deliberate murder of a man because of his religious beliefs,” Nikodym stated. However, he declined to provide details of what had happened, citing a lack of evidence.

“We will appeal to law enforcement to make sure this case is not swept under the rug,” the UOC-KP head said. According to him, the police have changed their account of the incident from their initial version.

Nikodym also said he intends to find another priest for the parish in Shevchenky, describing the community’s continued existence as the best way to honor Father Oleksandr’s memory.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the UOC-KP head had accused the OCU of hacking its social media accounts.

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