Prosecutor in Metr. Theodosy Case Dismissed Amid Anti-Corruption Probe

CHERKASY, UKRAINE — A deputy head of the Cherkasy Regional Prosecutor’s Office who was involved in the first criminal case against Metr. Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kaniv of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) has been dismissed amid an anti-corruption investigation.

Maksym Shtompel was dismissed from the regional prosecutor’s office on September 8, 2026, according to the First Cossack channel. He had served as deputy head of the office and was reportedly involved in the prosecution of Metr. Theodosy from the beginning of the proceedings.

Shtompel was present during the first searches of the Metropolitan’s premises, personally served him with a notice of suspicion, and participated in interrogations. According to the report, he headed the first criminal case against the UOC hierarch.

The prosecutor also appears in materials released by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) as part of the “Carthage” special operation. The recordings reportedly concern circumstances surrounding Shtompel’s appointment and an alleged monthly payment of $1,000.

Proceedings against Metr. Theodosy have continued since 2023, with hearings held approximately every two weeks and restrictions on the hierarch renewed every two months. Prosecutors initially sought round-the-clock house arrest and electronic monitoring.

The dismissal means that a prosecutor who played a prominent role in the case against the UOC Metropolitan has himself become the subject of an anti-corruption investigation.

Previously, the UOJ reported that a court extended the preventive measure against Metr. Theodosy until September.