Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC Shuts Down Official Website Due to SSU Pressure

The official website of the Cherkasy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, established in 2012, is ceasing operations after 13 years of service. Over the past two years, the site has been left without administrators and technical support due to pressure from the Security Service of Ukraine. This announcement was published on the diocese’s website.

Since 2023, SSU officers have attempted to use technical features of the website as grounds for criminal prosecution of the moderators under Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which provides for up to 8 years imprisonment and confiscation of property. Due to this pressure, the website’s administration decided to discontinue its work.

The site is now moving to an archive mode and will no longer be updated. Representatives of the diocese expressed their gratitude to all readers for their support throughout the years of the resource’s existence.

It is also worth noting that on May 10, 2025, an emergency meeting was held in the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC, during which Metropolitan Feodosiy and clergy discussed the situation arising from the increased persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The meeting was reportedly convened to address pastoral service issues amid limited access to churches.