Ukrainian authorities order eviction of Ukrainian Orthodox Church monks from Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra in 3 days

MOSCOW. June 6 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian authorities have demanded that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church stop using facilities of the Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra immediately and that the administration and monks of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church leave the monastery within three days, Ukrainian Culture Minister Alexander Tkachenko said on Tuesday.

The Culture Ministry's commission for Lavra property transfer finalized its work on Monday and confirmed the transfer of the monastery's facilities to the Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra reserve.

"Now that the reserve has demanded immediate discharge, termination of use and return of property to the reserve by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, the latter must do so within three working days. If they refuse, a court will hear the matter and make a respective ruling to clear impediments to the reserve's use of its property," Tkachenko said on Telegram.

In all, 79 Lavra facilities were inspected and returned to the state, the minister said. "Their condition varies. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate performed unauthorized reconstruction, completion, redevelopment of cultural heritage monuments and construction of new buildings in the reserve territory. We will look into that," he said, adding that the Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra "must be Ukrainian."

The Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra national reserve demanded earlier that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church vacate the monastery before March 29. The demand was based on alleged violations committed by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church while using state property. The Church challenged the decision in court. The proceeding has just begun, and there are no legal grounds for now to evict the monks.