OCU spokesman on UOC monks in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra: "They have no right to be there"

OCU spokesman Yevstratiy Zorya claims that the monks of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have no legal grounds to live on the territory of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Zorya said that some of the buildings on the territory of the «Lower» Lavra have already been transferred to the ownership of the OCU, and this process is irreversible. At the same time, the UOC monks living in the buildings of the Lower Lavra will sooner or later be evicted from there. He said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

«The process is gradually moving forward. In the Lower Lavra, part of the premises has already been transferred to the use of the OCU. In the Upper Lavra, services are held on an hourly basis. There are no longer any legal grounds for the representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate to stay there — the relevant agreements have been terminated, and the courts have confirmed this. But the state is acting cautiously to avoid conflicts. This process is slow but irreversible,» Zoria said.

Earlier, we reported that the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine announced the opening of the Near Caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra for believers. Access to the Near Caves will be open from February 25, 2026. It will be possible to visit the shrine from Wednesday to Sunday, from 9:00 to 11:00, strictly by appointment and in groups. Guided tours will be held in the caves from 12:00 to 16:00.