Metropolitan Arseniy will be under house arrest in Kyiv region

Metropolitan Arseniy (Yakovenko), the rector of the Svyatogorsk Assumption Lavra of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, has been transferred from custody to round-the-clock house arrest in Kiev Region. This decision was made by the Chechelovsky District Court of Dnipro on February 25, following a motion by the defense, referring to the state of health of the accused and the possibility of inpatient treatment.

As Suspilne reports, Metropolitan Arseniy’s lawyers filed a motion to change the measure of restraint not related to detention. They attached letters from a Kiev clinic, which expressed readiness to conduct an examination and treatment of Yakovenko, as well as from the owner of housing in the Kiev region, where the accused could serve house arrest. When asked by the court about his relationship with the landlord, Metropolitan Arseniy replied, «According to Adam, we are all relatives.» The prosecutor’s office strongly objected to the granting of these motions.

Despite the prosecution’s objections, the court granted the defense’s motion. The judge announced the decision: «The defense lawyers’ motion to change the measure of restraint shall be satisfied. Change the measure of restraint for the accused to 24-hour house arrest at the address: Kyiv region, […], except in cases of emergency medical care and moving to a shelter in case of an air alert until April 25, 2026».

During this period, Metropolitan Arseny is forbidden to leave the specified address and leave the Kyiv region, to communicate with witnesses in the case, and he is obliged to deposit his internal and foreign passports and other documents giving the right to leave Ukraine with the migration service.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for March 5, 2026.