The Court of Appeals upheld the sentence handed down to Metropolitan Anthony of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

The Khmelnytskyi Court of Appeals issued a final ruling in the case of 79-year-old Metropolitan Anthony (Fialko) of Makarov, upholding the two-year prison sentence. The sentence was commuted to a two-year probationary period, according to “Levyi Bereg.”

According to the court’s decision, in addition to the main sentence, the metropolitan remains subject to an additional restriction: he is prohibited from holding leadership positions in religious administrations and dioceses for the next two years. The defense retains the right to file a cassation appeal within three months. Earlier, in May 2026, the Khmelnytsky City and District Court found the metropolitan guilty of “inciting religious hatred” and “restricting citizens’ rights on religious grounds.” The criminal case was initiated based on video recordings of a 2022 sermon in which the bishop called on parishioners to defend the church from supporters of the community’s transition to the OCU.

During the trial, Metropolitan Anthony did not admit guilt. “I have always called on people to pursue peace and harmony,” he emphasized, noting that he does not recall all the details of that service due to his age. The defense’s position was supported by the assistant to the church’s rector, who stated that the metropolitan’s actions were aimed at protecting church property from offenders, not at discriminating against believers of other faiths.

As a reminder, on May 21, 2025, the city authorities of Khmelnytskyi disrupted a visit by the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, which was timed to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the revival of the Khmelnytskyi Diocese of the UOC. According to the announcement, the Primate of the UOC was scheduled to be in Khmelnytskyi on May 21–22, where he was to consecrate the local St. Nicholas Cathedral. However, at the initiative of local authorities, heavy machinery and a crowd consisting of radicals and supporters of the OCU were brought to the cathedral. Protesters blocked access to the cathedral, resulting in the cancellation of Metropolitan Onufry’s visit.