Ukraine looking to seize assets of UOC’s Family Affairs Department

Kiev, September 25, 2026

Photo: pravlife.info Photo: pravlife.info     

  

Ukraine’s State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience is already working to shut down several Orthodox monasteries and dioceses throughout the country, and now it’s aiming liquidate the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s Family Affairs Department and seize its assets.

The Sixth Administrative Court of Appeal opened proceedings on September 22 in the case, which was filed by the state service against the religious organization known as the Synodal Department Mission of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for Family Affairs. The agency wants the department liquidated and all its property, funds, and other assets—except for liturgical items—transferred to state ownership, the state service reports.

The basis for the lawsuit is the conviction of the mission's former head, Metropolitan Panteleimon of Lugansk and Alchevsk. A Chernigov court sentenced him in absentia in 2025 to 11 years in prison under Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which covers alleged collaboration with an aggressor state. Metropolitan Panteleimon was not present for the trial and has not publicly responded to the charges.

The Telegram channel First Cossack commented on the move, calling it an example of officials using a special legal provision that amounts to collective punishment. The channel notes that authorities are trying to liquidate an entire institution over the guilt of one person who isn’t even its head anymore.

First Cossack also points out this isn’t the first time the provision has been used—an earlier case saw a court dissolve the UOC’s Kazan Icon of the Mother of God parish in the town of Yarova after its rector was convicted.

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9/25/2026

See also
Court upholds conviction of UOC bishop who spoke in defense of the Church Court upholds conviction of UOC bishop who spoke in defense of the Church Court upholds conviction of UOC bishop who spoke in defense of the Church Court upholds conviction of UOC bishop who spoke in defense of the Church
The court upheld his primary sentence of two years imprisonment, along with an additional penalty barring him from holding leadership positions in religious administrations and dioceses for two years. Court sentences another UOC hierarch for defending the Church Court sentences another UOC hierarch for defending the Church Court sentences another UOC hierarch for defending the Church Court sentences another UOC hierarch for defending the Church
The criminal case was triggered by a sermon that Met. Anthony delivered on May 22, 2022, at the Holy Protection Cathedral in Khmelnytskyi. In a video recording that appeared on social media, he called on parishioners not to stand aside if “people far from the Church” came to seize churches. 95% of cases against Ukrainian clergy are fabricated—UOC protodeacon 95% of cases against Ukrainian clergy are fabricated—UOC protodeacon 95% of cases against Ukrainian clergy are fabricated—UOC protodeacon 95% of cases against Ukrainian clergy are fabricated—UOC protodeacon
The protodeacon described the standard method for constructing such cases: a priest’s phone is taken, and certain correspondence is allegedly discovered on it. On the basis of that alleged correspondence, a criminal case is opened under the charge of treason.

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