Lavra reserve head estimates damage to Dormition Cathedral at €15 million

Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Photo: NV

Maksym Ostapenko, head of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve, estimated the total damage to the Dormition Cathedral at €15 million in an interview with Shelter.

The official assessed the damage to the monastery’s main church following the strike and spoke about efforts to secure funding for its full restoration. According to Ostapenko, the Swiss government provided a €700,000 grant to prepare design and cost-estimate documentation and carry out initial work.

“For the next stages, of course, additional funding will have to be raised, because we estimate the total damage at around €15 million,” Ostapenko said. “At present, the state has allocated money from the reserve fund for urgent emergency work – whatever can be stabilized for the winter so that the Dormition Cathedral can safely make it through the season.”

The reserve head said restorers would begin full-scale reconstruction of the building next year once the project documentation is completed. He stressed that while the cathedral was damaged, emergency crews prevented its complete destruction.

Ostapenko noted that the Dormition Cathedral has been destroyed and rebuilt more than once over the course of its history. “The last time, it was almost 80% destroyed on orders from Moscow in 1941. Then, under independent Ukraine, it was restored 25 years ago.” Ostapenko did not specify who carried out that restoration.

“Its restoration will be easier than after 1941,” the reserve head stressed. “But it will still take time – I think at least a couple of years – and very, very significant expense.”

The UOJ previously reported that the reserve had announced an estimate for restoring the Dormition Cathedral. At the time, Ostapenko said the damage exceeded UAH 500 million.

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