Ostapenko voices frustration over Upper Lavra court proceedings

Maksym Ostapenko. Photo: uapc.te.ua

On August 26, 2026, another hearing in the Upper Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra case was postponed. Maksym Ostapenko, director general of the National Reserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra,” expressed dissatisfaction with the course of the proceedings and accused UOC representatives of deliberately delaying the case, lb.ua reports.

According to Ostapenko, UOC representatives are allegedly abusing procedural rights and have been misleading both the court and the public for three years. He complained that the court has still not issued a final ruling on returning the Dormition Cathedral to the state. Ostapenko also said that if the UOC wins the appeal, Metropolitan Pavel will return to serving in the cathedral.

The reserve’s lawyer, Ivan Prokopenko, claimed that at the latest hearing the UOC side once again sought the recusal of the panel of judges, which he said was intended to derail consideration of the case on the merits. According to the lawyer, numerous motions and requests to postpone hearings have prevented the court from moving to substantive consideration of the case since January 2024.

For his part, Nikita Chekman, lawyer for the UOC Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, said the recusal motion was prompted by serious procedural violations. In particular, he said, the court had failed to notify monks who are third parties in the case of the time and date of the hearing. After considering the recusal request, the court rejected it but decided to postpone the hearing and properly notify all parties to the proceedings.

As the UOJ reported, the next hearing is scheduled for September 29, 2026.

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