Prosecutor spoke about court cases over property of Pochaev Lavra
The prosecutor's office announced four court proceedings concerning the property and land plots of Pochaev Lavra.
Four cases concerning the return of property and land plots of the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra to the state are being considered in the courts of Ternopil and Kyiv. This was stated by the head of the Ternopil Regional Prosecutor's Office, Vitaliy Panchenko, during a briefing, as reported by "Suspilne.Ternopil".
According to the official, these court proceedings concern two main areas of the agency's activity in protecting the interests of the state and the territorial community. Panchenko explained that the claims are aimed at "returning property, specifically premises, from communal to state ownership, as well as reclaiming land plots from unlawful possession."
Of the four cases currently under consideration, three were initiated directly on the basis of claims filed by the prosecutor's office. The fourth claim was submitted by representatives of the Ternopil Regional Military Administration. Within the framework of this case, the prosecutor's office officially joined the court proceedings on the side of the RMA, pursuing the goal of ensuring the reclamation of the monastery's facilities from the Lavra's possession.
The prosecution places particular emphasis on property that was previously owned by the regional military administration but was subsequently re-registered to the monastery. Due to the fact that representatives of Pochaev Lavra have filed counterclaims, the parties are proving the validity of their positions through an adversarial process.
"In the said proceedings, the prosecutor's office identifies relevant circumstances requiring a response. And it is precisely for this reason that we have applied to the court. We are proving our position in an adversarial process," the prosecutor stated. Vitaliy Panchenko named the key task of the prosecutor's office as the aspiration to "ensure compliance with the rule of law and prevent the unlawful disposal of property from state ownership."
Alongside the court claims, state authorities are increasing administrative pressure on the monastery. In July 2026, the SSetnpc issued a directive according to which the abbot of Pochaev Lavra must declare his disagreement with appointments to the governing bodies of the ROC, prepare a statement on severing ties with the ROC, and together with the spiritual council "must provide a decision on Pochaev Lavra's withdrawal from the structure of the Kyiv Metropolitanate of the UOC," which state authorities recognized as affiliated with the ROC.
As the UOJ reported, a blogger commented on the SSETNPC's demand to Pochaev Lavra to sever ties with the UOC.
