The staff of the shopping mall detained a priest of the UOC on the territory of the temple

The rector of the Holy Trinity Church of the Kryvyi Rih diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), Archpriest Alexander Chernyadyev, was detained by employees of the territorial recruitment center (TCC - an analogue of the military enlistment office in Ukraine) on the territory of the temple in Nikopol. This was reported on February 6 by the portal "Union of Orthodox Journalists" (UOJ).

"The priest was detained right on the territory of the temple. According to eyewitnesses, he was wearing a cassock and carrying a cross when representatives of the Shopping mall approached him," the article says.

The arrest took place on February 5, 2026. After the arrest, Archpriest Alexander was taken to the city of Dnipro. There are no official comments on the reasons and further actions regarding the clergyman yet.

"The community notes that similar cases have already occurred before, but the detention of a priest directly in the church caused particular indignation among parishioners," the text concluded.

Faith of restraint: Kiev may launch criminal prosecution for links with the UOC

How are the Ukrainian authorities fighting Orthodoxy and does the international community react to what is happening?

On February 3, the UOJ reported on the detention of Archimandrite Herman, a resident of the Varvarovsky skete in the village of Stary Korets, by the staff of the Shopping mall. It was noted that the clergyman, whose fate is also unknown, was overtaken on his way back from the hospital, where he was undergoing an examination due to the acute form of acute respiratory viral infections.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.