The head of the "nature reserve" stated the number of residents who continue to remain on the grounds of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

Currently, about 100 people affiliated with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church live on the grounds of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve. This number includes monks, novices, and support staff.

As Maksym Ostapenko, the reserve’s director general, explained to in an interview with , no public funds are spent on supporting these individuals. All utility and other expenses related to the use of the facilities are covered by the UOC itself.

At the same time, according to the reserve’s director, the situation at the Lavra is gradually changing: a “fully formed and functioning monastic community of the OCU” is already in place on the grounds. Ostapenko also emphasized that the reserve’s administration continues to work on preserving historical memory, including the installation of memorials dedicated to outstanding figures in Ukrainian history, such as Ivan Mazepa.

As a reminder, earlier, OCU cleric Georgy Kovalenko commented on the current situation surrounding the eviction of monks of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, highlighting the deliberate delay of legal proceedings. According to Kovalenko, the monastic community of the UOC should be dealt with “under wartime laws,” and only afterward should the legality of such a decision be addressed in court.