On August 16, 2026, Metropolitan Sergiy of Tulchinsk and Bratslavsky and Archpriest Anatoly Vishnevy, a cleric of the Tulchinsk diocese, were detained in Kiev by employees of the territorial recruitment and social Support Center (TCK — they serve as military enlistment offices in Ukraine). This was announced by the lawyer of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Archpriest Nikita Chekman.
According to the lawyer, the bishop and the priest were dragged out of the car on Sunday morning in the Darnitsky district of Kiev, when they were on their way to worship.
"According to preliminary information, the clergy are in the Darnitsky district shopping mall and joint venture in Kiev, where they are undergoing a military medical commission. The circumstances are being clarified," Archpriest Nikita Chekman wrote on his Telegram channel on Sunday afternoon.
In the evening of the same day, the lawyer reported: "Metropolitan Sergius of Tulchinsk and Bratslav has just been released from Darnitsky RTCC and Joint Venture. Vladyka had been held there since eight o'clock in the morning, but no protocol or any other document had been drawn up to confirm and justify his detention."
Archpriest Nikita Chekman stated the illegality of a number of actions on the part of the representatives of the Shopping Center, in particular, the detention of Vladyka and the seizure of his passport of a citizen of Ukraine took place without proper procedural registration. "We consider such actions by the representatives of the Shopping Center to be illegal and are preparing appropriate complaints," the lawyer stressed.
At the same time, according to him, mobilization measures are continuing in relation to Archpriest Anatoly Vishnevoy. It is noted that Father Anatoly was not wanted, did not violate the rules of military registration and there were no legal grounds for his detention.
Archpriest Nikita Chekman assured that the lawyers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church intend to use all legal mechanisms to protect the rights of clergymen: "Our team will take all legal measures to appeal against the illegal detention, seizure of a passport and illegal mobilization of a clergyman."