In Nikopol, TCC officers detained the rector of the UOC church right on the church territory

In Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region, on February 5, 2026, officers of the Territorial Completion Center (TCC) detained Archpriest Alexander Chernyadiev, rector of the Holy Trinity Church of the Krivoy Rog diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). The incident occurred directly on the territory of the temple, which caused considerable outrage among parishioners and the church community.

According to «First Cossack» with reference to representatives of the church community and sources close to the parish, Archpriest Alexander was detained while wearing a robe and carrying a cross. After the detention, the clergyman was taken to the city of Dnipro. At the moment there are no official comments from representatives of the TCC or other competent authorities regarding the reasons for the detention and the further fate of the priest.

The community of the Holy Trinity Church expresses deep concern about what happened, noting that it was left without its rector. Similar cases of detention of clergymen have taken place before, but the detention directly on the territory of the temple became a reason for special indignation. The believers ask for prayers for Archpriest Alexander and the entire community.

We remind you that in Rivne representatives of the Territorial Completion Center (TCC) detained Archimandrite Herman (Kulakevich), a resident of the Varvarovskiy Skete in the village of Stary Korets of Rivne diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). The incident occurred on February 3, 2026, when the clergyman was returning from a medical facility after an examination due to an acute form of acute respiratory infection.