Legal Department of the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC Denies Claims About Revocation of Land Use Rights for Churches in Cherkasy

On April 9, 2025, media outlets reported that the Cherkasy City Council had allegedly revoked the permanent land use rights of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) for three plots of land in Cherkasy. These plots are located at the following addresses: 30 Heroiv Dnipra St., 39/1 Sumhaitska St., and 18 Vikentii Khvoiky St.

The Diocese’s Legal Department stated that, under Ukrainian law, permanent land use rights can only be revoked with notarized consent from the land user or based on a court decision. “The Cherkasy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has not given and will not give consent for the illegal seizure of land plots under these church complexes,” the official comment emphasized.

The construction of the churches at these addresses was funded by the diocese and carried out in accordance with a 2001 resolution of the Cherkasy City Executive Committee, which granted the land plots for permanent use.

The diocese considers the City Council’s recent decision regarding these plots to be legally unfounded. In the event of any attempts to physically seize the churches or the land, the diocese reserves the right to appeal to law enforcement authorities.

As reported earlier, on April 9, 2025, the Cherkasy City Council held an emergency session during which it adopted a resolution to strip the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC of ownership rights to three land plots within the city. City officials stated they had “done what needed to be done.”