Journalist slandering UOC bishop renounces her channel in court

Sonya Koshkina (right) renounced her channel. Photo: Telegram channel Sonya Koshkina (official)

Journalist Sonya Koshkina, who in November 2022 published defamatory statements about Bishop Nikita of Ivano-Frankivsk on her Telegram channel Sonya Koshkina (official) disassociated herself from this channel during a court hearing. As reported, this statement was made on behalf of Koshkina (real name Ksenia Vasilenko) by her lawyer during a court hearing at the Shevchenkivsky District Court on October 6, 2023.

Bishop Nikita's lawyer said that the hierarch had filed a lawsuit in defence of his honour and dignity against the newspaper "Levy Bereh" (“Left Bank”) demanding that they retract the defamatory statements originally posted on the Telegram channel Sonya Koshkina (official). The bishop also sought compensation for moral damages, estimated at 100,000 UAH, which he intended to donate to the "Return Alive" Charitable Foundation.

According to the attorney, the court was unable to pass judgment on the case because Koshkina's lawyer stated during the hearing that the channel Sonya Koshkina (official) does not belong to her client, and therefore, she cannot be held responsible for its content.

The next court session is scheduled for November 29, 2023.

As reported, Archimandrite (future Bishop of Ivano-Frankivsk) Nikita claimed that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) forced him to undress and face the wall during a search at the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy.

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