Ministry of Culture reports 12 Lavra buildings "returned" under its control

Acting Director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Reserve Maksym Ostapenko. Photo: ukrinform.ua

The acting director of the "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" National Reserve, Maksym Ostapenko, announced that the state had already regained control over 12 out of 79 structures within the Lavra. He made this statement to an Ukrinform correspondent.

According to Ostapenko, the buildings within the Lavra can be used by the UOC monks until the legal proceedings between the reserve and the monastery have been finalized. He also noted that representatives of the UOC should vacate the premises of the Kyiv Theological Academy and various commercial and hotel facilities since they are not covered by the lease agreement.

"It should be reminded that we are talking about 79 facilities that were transferred to the UOC. Approximately 40 of them are full-fledged, including residential, buildings. Among them, 12 have already been completely returned and are under the control of the reserve. There is still a certain number of objects occupied by the monastery monks," he stated.

As previously reported, the head of the reserve acknowledged that the actions to evict the monastery from the Lower Lavra can only be carried out after the appellate court's decision.

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