The Chechelovsky Court in Dnipro upheld the composition of the prosecution team in the case of Metropolitan Arseny

On June 30, 2026, the Chechelovsky District Court of Dnipro issued a ruling on a motion filed by the defense team of Metropolitan Arseny (Yakovenko), the abbot of the Svyatogorsk Lavra. Judge Tatyana Bezruk denied the defense attorneys’ motion to replace the team of prosecutors, despite the arguments presented regarding possible violations in their appointment.

According to the press service of the Svyatogorsk Lavra, during the hearing, the defense insisted that the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office had unlawfully formed the team of prosecutors; however, the court decided to uphold the prosecutor’s office’s decision. Numerous believers from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church arrived at the courthouse to support the bishop, while the brothers and sisters of the Lavra’s sketes held a conciliar prayer service at the same time.

The next court hearing is scheduled for August 5, 2026, at which the court will consider whether to extend the pretrial detention measures against the metropolitan. It should be recalled that the court had previously eased the conditions of Metropolitan Arseny’s detention, replacing round-the-clock house arrest with nighttime house arrest.