Alexander Chornievich

Oleksandr Chornievich

Date of birth: June 24, 1989

Head of the Khmelnytsky District Council since 2020, deputy of the Khmelnytsky District Council.

Oleksandr Chornievich became known for an incident of violence against parishioners of the St. Paraskeva Church of the UOC in the village of Pirogivtsi, Khmelnytsky Oblast.

The deputy personally attacked Orthodox Christians and a clergyman.

Furthermore, Chornievich participated in organizing several illegal meetings of territorial communities and falsifying documents for UOC churches.

Between April and June 2022 alone, 16 UOC churches in the Khmelnytsky District were transferred to the OCU through the efforts of local authorities.

Head of the Khmelnytsky District Council, Oleksandr Chornievich, reports on all transfers on his Facebook page.

The official describes his activities as building Ukraine's "spiritual independence." Chornievich personally travels to villages in the Khmelnytskyi district and holds community meetings, where residents vote to convert to the OCU.

The mass transfers of UOC parishes to the OCU in the Khmelnytskyi district began after Chornievich met with OCU "bishop" Pavlo Yuristy in April 2022 and discussed with him the "importance of converting" parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the OCU.

Thus, in the Khmelnytskyi district, St. Nicholas Church in Antonovka, the Presentation of the Theotokos Church in Pasichna, and the Kazan Church in Golovchyntsi were transferred to the OCU.

Chornievich also initiated the seizure of St. Michael's Church in Tereshivtsi, St. Basil's Church in Grechyntsi, St. Michael's Church in Chernelevka, Trinity Church in Cherepovets, and the Church of St. John the Theologian in Cherepovets.

Through the official's efforts, believers lost the Church of the Intercession in Leznevo, the Assumption Church in Ruzhychna, the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Sorokodub, and the Church of the Intercession in Bakhmativtsi.

In the district, churches in the villages of Motrunky, Mikhailovka, and Pirogovka were transferred to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine without the participation of parishioners.

(Source: Union of Orthodox Journalists)

On May 19, 2022, Chornievich organized an illegal meeting to resolve the issue of the "transfer" of the Intercession Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Khmelnytskyi.

A. Chornievich's actions in organizing a meeting and voting by citizens who were not parishioners of the Intercession Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Khmelnytskyi, without the participation of actual parishioners, effectively falsified the decision of a religious organization and bear the hallmarks of criminal offenses under the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely:

Part 2 of Article 205-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (forgery of documents submitted for state registration of a legal entity or individual entrepreneur committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons, or by an official using their official position); the maximum penalty is imprisonment for up to five years, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years.

Part 3 of Article Article 206-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal seizure of property of an enterprise, institution, or organization committed by an official using their official position, or if they caused significant harm or entailed other grave consequences) is punishable by imprisonment for up to ten years, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years, and with confiscation of property.

On July 24, 2022, raiders from the OCU, led by the head of the Khmelnytskyi District Council, Oleksandr Chornievich, and accompanied by an OCU "priest," arrived at the Church of St. Paraskeva in the village of Pirogovtsi, Khmelnytskyi District, and attempted to seize the church during a service.

A group of strong young men, led by Oleksandr Chornievich, the head of the Khmelnytskyi District Council, arrived at the church during a Sunday service and began insulting the believers.

The church rector asked the congregation to close the door so the service could end peacefully. At this point, Chornievich began breaking down the doors.

After the service concluded, the parishioners and clergy left the church. Chornievich's criminal group attacked the congregation.

The deputy personally participated in the beating of the church's rector, Archpriest Alexander Kravets.

Video captured Chornievich throwing a woman to the ground.

A. Chornievich's actions in participating in the attempted seizure of a religious building and inflicting bodily harm on clergy and parishioners in the church constitute, first and foremost, a restriction of the rights of believers based on their religious affiliation, which is punishable under Part 3 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, with a penalty of up to eight years' imprisonment.

Since the restriction of citizens' rights based on their religious beliefs involved obstructing the performance of a religious rite and causing bodily harm, such actions, depending on the factual circumstances, should be classified as a combination of offenses under Articles 161 and 180 ("Obstruction of a Religious Rite") of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, as well as, depending on the severity of the bodily harm, in conjunction with Part 2 of Article 121, Part 2 of Article 122, or Part 2 of Article 125 (causing bodily harm of varying severity) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

In the case of causing grievous bodily harm, the sanction under Part 2 of Article 121 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine provides for a penalty of imprisonment for up to ten years.

Article 341 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ("Seizure of state or public buildings or structures"), combined with Article 15 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ("Attempted criminal offense"), is also included in the statute, which may be punishable by up to five years of restricted freedom or imprisonment for the same term.

On June 2, 2023, in Medzhybizh, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, a group of individuals led by Khmelnytskyi District Council deputy Oleksandr Chornievich and businessman Mykhailo Blonskyi seized the St. Nicholas Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The raiders cut the locks off the church and installed their own. Personal belongings of UOC parishioners were left in the church.

On January 14, 2024, before the start of the festive liturgy, raiders from the OCU, along with the officials, seized the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary in the village of Chepelivka in the Khmelnytskyi district of the Khmelnytskyi region.

With the assistance of Khmelnytskyi District Council deputy Oleksandr Chornievich and members of the Krasiliv City Council, the raiders cut off the gates and side door locks and seized the church. After the seizure, law enforcement officers prevented the rector of the parish, Archpriest Vasyl Varokhoba, from entering the church.

Activists removed the antimension from the church, accompanying it with vile and obscene comments.

The seizure of the church, with the support of deputies and law enforcement, occurred despite the decision of the community, which on October 14, 2023, confirmed its spiritual and canonical unity with the UOC. 300 parishioners voted "yes."

(Source: Press Service of the Khmelnytsky Diocese of the UOC)

On February 18, 2024, in the village of Kremenna, Khmelnytsky Region, Khmelnytsky District Council Deputy Oleksandr Chorniyevych organized a meeting of village residents at the Community Center regarding the transfer of the UOC Church of the Exaltation of the Cross to the OCU.

Members of the religious community, led by their rector, Archpriest Oleksandr Yatseiko, also attended the meeting. However, neither the speech of Chernievich himself, who insulted the parishioners during the discussion, nor the words of the "dean" of the OCU who arrived with Chornievich were able to convince the village residents of the need for a transition.

As a result, the supporters of the "transition" found themselves in the minority, and Chernievich left empty-handed.

(Source: UOJ)

A. Chornievich's actions in participating in the attempted seizure of a religious building and inflicting bodily harm on clergy and parishioners in the church constitute, first and foremost, a restriction of the rights of believers based on their religious affiliation, which is classified under Part 3 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, punishable by imprisonment for up to eight years.

Since the restriction of citizens' rights due to their religious beliefs was accompanied by obstruction of religious rites and the infliction of bodily harm, such actions, depending on the factual circumstances, should be classified as a combination of offenses under Article 161, Article 178 ("Damage to religious buildings or houses of worship"), and Article 180 ("Obstruction of a religious rite") of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Depending on the severity of the bodily harm, they should also be classified in conjunction with Part 2 of Article 121, Part 2 of Article 122, or Part 2 of Article 125 (Causing bodily harm of varying severity) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

In the case of causing grievous bodily harm, the sanction under Part 2 of Article 121 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine provides for a sentence of imprisonment for up to ten years.

The charges also include Article 341 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ("Seizure of state or public buildings or structures"), which can be punishable by up to five years of restricted freedom or imprisonment for the same term.

A. Chornievich's actions in organizing a vote by individuals who were not members of the religious community for the "transfer to the OCU" of the UOC Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in the village of Kremnaya's actions of February 18, 2024, are, in fact, an attempt to falsify the decision of a religious organization and contain elements of criminal offenses under the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely:

- Part 2 of Article 205-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (forgery of documents submitted for state registration of a legal entity and individual entrepreneurs committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons or by an official using their official position): the maximum penalty is imprisonment for up to five years, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years.

- Part 3 of Article 206-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal seizure of the property of an enterprise, institution, or organization committed by an official using their official position or if they caused significant harm or entailed other grave consequences): punishable by imprisonment for up to ten years, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years, and confiscation of property.

Since the offense was not completed due to circumstances beyond the control of the offender, the offense should be classified under Article 15 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ("Attempted Criminal Offense").

On March 28, 2024, OCU supporters, with the participation of Chornievich, cut the locks on both entrance doors of the UOC Church of the Intercession in the village of Zagontsy, Khmelnytskyi District, and seized control of the premises.

All of this occurred while police officers remained inactive.

Believers published a video from the scene, describing how the deputy knocked a woman's bag out of her hands, snatched her phone, and threw it on the ground.

[Видео/вставка]

On July 16, 2024, the authorities and supporters of the OCU forcibly seized the St. Nicholas Church in the village of Pylypy in the Khmelnytskyi district (Krasilovsky deanery).

The seizure of the church was overseen by Khmelnytskyi District Council deputy A. Chornievich, Pylypy village mayor V. Polischuk, S. Bobukh, N. Svystun, Yu. Babiychuk, and other OCU supporters among the authorities.

(Source: UOJ)

The seizure of the St. Nicholas Church in the village was organized by Khmelnytskyi District Council deputy A. Chornievich, Pylypy village mayor V. Polischuk, and other citizens. Pylyp, Khmelnytskyi district, Khmelnytskyi region, dated July 16, 2024, constitutes a restriction of the rights of believers based on their religious affiliation, which is punishable under Part 3 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, with a penalty of imprisonment for up to eight years.

Since the restriction of citizens' rights based on their religious beliefs was accompanied by damage to religious buildings, desecration of religious shrines, and obstruction of religious rites, such actions, depending on the factual circumstances, should be classified as a combination of offenses under Article 161 and Articles 178 ("Damage to religious buildings or houses of worship"), 179 ("Illegal maintenance, desecration, or destruction of religious shrines"), or 180 ("Obstruction of religious rites") of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The offense also includes Article 341 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ("Seizure of state or public buildings or structures"), which is punishable by up to five years of restriction of liberty or imprisonment for the same term.

On January 25, 2025, a meeting of the local community was held in the village of Novokostiantyniv, Khmelnytskyi district, at which the Holy Dormition Church of the UOC was transferred to the OCU.

Despite the decision of the existing religious community of the Holy Dormition Church in the village of Novokonstantinov, which, together with its rector, Archpriest Vadym Vus, expressed its desire to remain part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the omophorion of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy, the local territorial community held a meeting at which it illegally decided to transfer the UOC religious community to the OCU.

The diocese claims that the initiators of the meeting were Khmelnytskyi District Council deputy Oleksandr Chorniyovych and the director of the local nursing home for the disabled and elderly, Volodymyr Smutok.

(Source: UOJ)

The actions of organizing a meeting and making decisions by individual representatives of a territorial community on behalf of a religious organization have the characteristics of criminal offenses under the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely:

Part 2 of Article 205-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (forgery of documents submitted for state registration of a legal entity and individual entrepreneurs committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons, or by an official using their official position); the maximum penalty is imprisonment for up to five years, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years.

Part 3 of Article Article 206-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal seizure of property of an enterprise, institution, or organization committed by an official using their official position, or if they caused significant harm or entailed other grave consequences) is punishable by imprisonment for up to ten years, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years, and with confiscation of property.

On May 21, 2025, in Khmelnytskyi, local authorities were preparing a provocation against the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Onufriy, who was scheduled to serve an all-night vigil at St. Nicholas Cathedral.

The day before, local deputy Oleksandr Cherniyovych announced a rally for 3:00 PM against the service at the cathedral.

"Russian agents in Ukraine, the UOC-MP-ROC, are planning a Sabbath in Khmelnytskyi, and Onufriy Berezovsky, a full member of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, will lead this event! Therefore, on May 21, 2025, conscientious residents of Khmelnytskyi will meet at 3:00 PM at 2B Svobody Street near St. Nicholas Cathedral to express their civic position!
Opposition to everything Russian must be omnipresent and constant!" Chernievich wrote.

On the day of the service, he wrote that "every church in the Khmelnytskyi region must free itself from the Moscow shackles of the UOC-MP-ROC! Action is needed immediately!"

By 3:00 PM, local authorities had brought garbage trucks and vehicles for pumping sewage out of cesspools to St. Nicholas Cathedral. About a hundred activists gathered near the equipment. The authorities were actively preparing provocations.

(Source: UOJ)

A. Chornievich's Facebook posts from May 20, 2025, and May 21, 2025, contain signs of calling for the restriction of rights and violent actions based on religious affiliation. The author uses the expressions "the Moscow Patriarchate of the UOC-MP-ROC, like a crayfish with which it is necessary to successfully leave!" and "to escape from the Moscow kaidan of the UOC-MP-ROC!", which effectively aims to identify the religious group as "enemy agents" for an unspecified group of people, which constitutes deliberate incitement of hostility based on religious affiliation.

The use of imagery of physical destruction goes beyond political criticism and creates a moral justification for violence against a group of individuals associated with the UOC.

It is worth noting that these calls by A. Chornievich are aimed not only at inciting interreligious hatred and restricting rights based on religious beliefs, but also at organizing mass riots, which he initiated.

Taking into account the consequences of these calls, which resulted in mass riots involving radical activists, the use of military equipment, and the desecration of religious shrines, the general classification is: Part 3 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, punishable by imprisonment for up to five years, in conjunction with Article 179 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ("Illegal maintenance, desecration, or destruction of religious shrines") and Part 1 of Article 194 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ("Mass riots"), which is punishable by imprisonment for up to eight years.

General summary:

A. Chornievich's systematic statements and actions are aimed at inciting interreligious hatred and restricting rights based on religious beliefs. A. Chornievich is also the organizer and active participant in a number of illegal acts that have the elements of criminal offenses under articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely Parts 2 and 3 of Article 194 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. 161, Art. 178, art. 179, art. 180, part 3 art. 206-2, part 2, article 205-1, part 1, art. 194, part 2 art. 121, (part 2 of article 122, part 2 of article 125), art. 341 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine