The Tax Service will carry out compulsory collection of funds from the hierarch of the UOC in favor of the propaganda TV channel

The State Tax Service of Ukraine will conduct compulsory collection of funds from the hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Luke (Kovalenko) of Zaporizhzhya and Melitopol. on February 19, 2025, the institution opened enforcement proceedings on the case of recovery of 10 thousand hryvnias in favor of Cherkasy TV channel “VIKKA”, related to the lost lawsuit of the metropolitan on protection of honor and dignity. This event takes place against the background of already existing criminal cases and sanctions against the hierarch.

As reported by the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) with reference to the general director of the TV channel “VIKKA” Sergey Kuzlyaev, the enforcement proceedings were opened by the State Tax Service on February 19, 2026, which is the final stage of the judicial process and provides for the enforcement of court decisions.

The basis for the enforcement was a legal battle initiated by Metropolitan Luka in April 2024 against the TV channel “VIKKA”. The hierarch demanded refutation of the information aired in the program “Actual Talk” in December 2024, as well as symbolic compensation in the amount of one hryvnia. The reason for the lawsuit were the statements of the mayor of Cherkassy Anatoliy Bondarenko, who claimed on the air of the TV channel that the metropolitan allegedly “works for the enemy”.

In June 2024, the Pridneprovsky District Court denied the metropolitan’s claims. Moreover, on July 14, 2024, the same court ruled to charge Kovalenko 10 thousand hryvnias in favor of the TV channel “VIKKA” as compensation for legal assistance, which the editorial staff spent on defense in court. on November 28, 2024 Cherkassy Court of Appeal left this decision unchanged, confirming the need to recover funds from the metropolitan.

Serhiy Kuzlyaev commented on the situation, saying, “Whoever comes to us with a lawsuit will suffer from the lawsuit himself.” He also noted that now the Metropolitan may have his accounts, movable and immovable property arrested. However, the General Director of “VIKKA” added that their TV channel is likely to be the second in line for recovery, since the bishop is already involved in a criminal case and is under sanctions of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC).

We shall remind you that earlier we reported that the General Director of Cherkasy TV channel “VIKKA” Serhiy Kuzlyaev was outraged that the hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhya and Melitopol filed a lawsuit against the media due to the dissemination of untrue information about the bishop on the air of one of the TV programs. Kuzliaev is annoyed that the UOC hierarch “raises his head” trying to protect his honor and dignity through the court.