Court extends preventive measure for Metropolitan Theodosius

On February 25, 2026, the Sosnovsky District Court of Cherkasy decided to extend the preventive measure against Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkasy and Kanev for two more months, until April 25, 2026. This decision was made despite the statements of the defense about the groundlessness of the charges and lack of evidence, as well as allegations of pressure on the hierarch. About it reports the Telegram-channel of the Cherkassy diocese of the UOC.

The case against Metropolitan Theodosius was initiated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in 2023. The charges were based on his pre-war television interviews with all-Ukrainian TV channels, in which the Metropolitan publicly defended the rights of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). According to Forward, these speeches became the basis for «fabricated» criminal cases launched since 2022, when persecution of the UOC allegedly intensified.

At the last court session, the prosecutor’s office requested the extension of the preventive measure in the form of personal commitments. These obligations include: arriving at every request of the court; informing about a change of residence, work or phone number; a ban on communicating with witnesses of criminal proceedings; and a ban on possessing a foreign passport and other documents allowing to leave the territory of Ukraine.

The position of the prosecutor’s office, according to the publication, was that without these measures, Metropolitan Theodosius «will be able to use his publicity and authority to incite religious hatred and influence church communities.»

In response, the defense and Metropolitan Theodosius himself stated in court that the prosecutor, as before, had failed to provide any evidence of the need for such measures. The prosecutor’s speech was characterized as «not so much legal as emotionally biased, using political and propaganda stamps.» The lawyer emphasized that no facts of «inciting hatred» had been proven, and the court cases against the hierarch, in their opinion, are «artificial and ordered character». The defense also added that prosecutors are «trying to pressure Metropolitan Theodosius and even humiliate him.»

In addition to the decision on the measure of restraint, the meeting was supposed to question the expert of the Cherkasy branch of the Kyiv Institute of Expertise of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, A.P. Stromilo. However, she once again failed to appear in court. The publication notes that «expertise» Stromylo’s «expertise» in courts «does not withstand any criticism from the defense», and their texts «sometimes defy common sense». In the Prydniprovsky District Court of Cherkasy, one of her «expertise» against Metropolitan Theodosius was previously rejected as inadmissible evidence.

It is assumed that, perhaps because of such criticism, A.P. Stromylo stopped appearing at court hearings without explanation. The courts in Cherkasy cannot find her or establish contact with her, as she resigned from the Cherkasy branch of the Kyiv Institute of Expertise of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and does not respond to summonses. Nevertheless, the courts are still forced to consider and study her «expertise» as «proof of the guilt» of Metropolitan Theodosius.

Earlier we reported that Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkassy and Kanevsky was found guilty of inciting inter-religious hatred. The guilty verdict under Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine was handed down by the Pridneprovsky District Court of Cherkassy on February 6, 2026. This is the first of four trials against the bishop that ended in a guilty verdict, and the defense intends to appeal the decision in all court instances.