Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Province, Ukraine, April 21, 2026
Photo: svlavra.church.ua
A Ukrainian court has extended the round-the-clock house arrest of Metropolitan Arseny of Svyatogorsk for two more months, while granting him the right to attend medical appointments without seeking prior court permission.
The hearing took place on April 20 at the Checheliv District Court in Dnipro. Met. Arseny and his lawyers participated via video conference. Ukrainian parliament member Viktoria Hryb also joined the proceedings, and supporters of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church gathered at the courthouse, reports the Svyatogorsk Lavra.
The prosecution had requested a two-month extension of the 24-hour house arrest. The defense, meanwhile, petitioned the court to lift or reduce the measure—proposing a nighttime-only curfew, personal surety, or personal recognizance—arguing that Met. Arseny hadn’t committed a single violation of his procedural obligations during his two months under house arrest, demonstrating he had no intention of evading the court or influencing witnesses.
Judge Tetiana Bezruk sided with the prosecution on the main question, extending the house arrest through late June. She did, however, grant one concession: the Metropolitan may now attend any medical procedures without special court authorization. Previously, this exemption applied only to emergency medical care.
The court also approved the defense’s request for the return of the bail deposit, which had been contributed by 20 donors last October.
Met. Arseny has been under house arrest since February 25, when a court ordered his release from pre-trial detention after 22 months behind bars. He underwent heart surgery in Kiev on March 18. Doctors had determined the need for the operation back in September but said he did not receive adequate care while in detention.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for May 13.
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