New Raider Seizures of Churches Being Prepared in Cherkasy Oblast. Metropolitan Feodosiy of UOC Issues Statement

Metropolitan Feodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) has officially addressed the authorities of Cherkasy Oblast with a statement expressing deep concern over the actions of the Cherkasy City Council and representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).

The official statement was directed to the head of the Cherkasy Regional Military Administration, Ihor Taburets; the chief of the National Police’s main department in Cherkasy Oblast, Yaroslav Holynskyi; the head of the Cherkasy Regional Prosecutor’s Office, Oleksandr Voronin; and other officials.

Metropolitan Feodosiy formally appealed to the leaders of Cherkasy Oblast, the regional police, and the prosecutor’s office regarding the planned seizures of Ukrainian Orthodox Church temples in Cherkasy.

«The crime is being orchestrated by the OCU, led by Oleh (Ivan) Yaremenko, possibly with the participation or support of certain officials from the city authorities,» stated Metropolitan Feodosiy.

The Metropolitan’s words carry serious weight. Last year, the OCU had already seized UOC churches in the region.

On October 17, 2024, OCU raiders took over the Archangel Michael Church in Cherkasy—the cathedral of the Cherkasy Eparchy of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

At night, around 100 unidentified individuals in camouflage and balaclavas stormed the cathedral. They expelled worshippers, confiscated their phones to prevent recording, and tore down surveillance cameras. One of the attackers fired a gas pistol, leading to a scuffle. However, the parishioners managed to repel the first assault.

After the raiders fled, icons and other valuable items, as well as money, documents, and computers, went missing. Metropolitan Feodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv immediately issued a statement following the attack, pointing out that the raider seizure was carried out with the involvement of authorities—among the attackers was a city council deputy, whom people caught and handed over to the police. However, he was soon released.

Cherkasy Mayor Anatoliy Bondarenko sided with the criminals, calling the raider takeover of the cathedral a «voluntary transition» of the community to the jurisdiction of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine. He claimed that «he authorities did not interfere.»

«The community voluntarily joined the OCU,» Bondarenko said, presenting a lie as reality.

The Archangel Michael Cathedral of the UOC in Cherkasy is not an old building. It was constructed by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the early 2000s. Funds for its construction were raised by the UOC, its parishioners, and benefactors.

Raider seizures continued in the region in 2025. On April 9, the Cherkasy City Council, at an extraordinary session, decided to terminate the right of permanent use of three land plots belonging to the Cherkasy Eparchy of the UOC.

Metropolitan Feodosiy cited direct statements by the head of the OCU in Cherkasy Oblast, Oleh (Ivan) Yaremenko, who said: «It won’t be peaceful anyway, because this part of the Moscow Patriarchate is brainwashed, claiming they’re being persecuted, that they’re martyrs, that the Church is under pressure.» Yaremenko also stated that «the only solution is a forceful one—when parishioners simply enter these churches en masse and ask those inside to leave, or forcibly remove those who are there illegally.»

Metropolitan Feodosiy interpreted these words as an open admission of intent to use violence against UOC believers.

His Eminence called on state authorities to prevent violations of the law that could lead to bloodshed. He reminded them that the Cherkasy City Council’s decision to terminate the right of permanent use of the three land plots belonging to the UOC’s Cherkasy Eparchy is unlawful, as land confiscation is only possible with the land user’s consent or through a court decision. The Metropolitan emphasized that there are absolutely no legal grounds for terminating the eparchy’s land rights.

«The Cherkasy Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has not given and will not give voluntary consent to the seizure of these land plots,» Metropolitan Feodosiy declared.

The Metropolitan of Cherkasy and Kaniv stressed that there is no court ruling on the confiscation of these lands, and any attempts at forceful seizure of churches would constitute a criminal offense. He noted that the Constitution of Ukraine, laws on freedom of religion, local state administrations, national defense, and the National Police explicitly mandate the protection of citizens' rights, their faith, and private property.

«Any attempts to violently seize these lands, let alone the church buildings on them, will be an overt criminal act with all legal consequences. The organizers, perpetrators, and officials who fail to prevent this crime will inevitably face criminal liability. I urge you to prevent a criminal act in the city—one that would not only violate the rights of Ukrainian citizens faithful to the UOC but could also result in injuries to Orthodox residents of Cherkasy,»Metropolitan Feodosiy warned local authorities, strongly urging all state bodies to fulfill their duties.

In his address, the Metropolitan recalled the tragic events in Cherkasy, referencing the violent seizure of the Archangel Michael Cathedral and the Nativity of the Theotokos Convent, where believers and monks were harmed: «Back then, people were beaten, elderly monks were maimed. And this happened with the criminal complicity of law enforcement.»

The hierarch reminded the authorities: «If anyone thinks the war will cover up everything, they are deeply mistaken. Because the war will end, and very soon, the time will come to answer for crimes committed under martial law.»

«We urge you to recognize your responsibility before God and the historic Church of your people. Yes, a crime is being prepared. But you, the authorities, now have all the power and means to prevent another act of religious terrorism in the city,» Metropolitan Feodosiy concluded his statement.