As reported earlier, the hierarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Jonnikije of Montenegro and the Littoral, sent a letter to Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkasy and Kaniv in connection with the seizure of the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the UOC in Cherkasy. The bishop called what happened in Cherkasy a crime and expressed his support to the head of the Cherkasy diocese of the UOC.
UOC priest injured during seizure of cathedral in Cherkasy faces criminal case for hooliganism
On January 13, 2025, investigators of the Cherkasy Prosecutor’s Office served a suspicion on Archpriest Roman Horkavenko, a cleric of the Cherkasy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who defended the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Cherkasy from seizure by supporters of the OCU. The priest is charged with the article “For hooliganism,” which provides for imprisonment from 3 to 7 years. According to investigators, the clergyman “committed hooliganism with the use of special means.” This is reported by the Telegram channel “First Cossack”.
“Apparently, he is accused of using pepper spray against the militants hired by the OCU who stormed the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the UOC. The video, published by the terrorists themselves, shows militants in camouflage rushing at the parishioners of the cathedral. There is a scuffle and shouting. The self-defense of the UOC parishioners is obvious. The court ordered the priest’s nightly house arrest. At the same time, the investigation materials do not even say what kind of “special means” Fr. Roman was holding. It is written simply “spray”. The materials do not even contain medical reports of the so-called “victims”, — the statement said.
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