The court rejected the appeal filed by the UOC monastery in the case concerning the use of the Cathedral of the Dormition and the Refectory Church of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

The Northern Economic Court of Appeals issued a ruling in Case No. 910/423/23, dismissing the monastery’s appeal regarding the removal of obstacles to the use of the Cathedral of the Dormition and the Refectory Church of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. According to Archpriest Nikita Chekman, the UOC’s attorney, the monastery’s defense intends to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court after reviewing the full text of the ruling.

The court proceedings were marked by serious procedural disputes. According to representatives of the defense, the hearing took place under conditions that raised questions about the objectivity of the panel of judges. In particular, the attorneys stated that not all participants in the proceedings, including some of the monks, had been notified of the hearing. Furthermore, the court spent only about five minutes reviewing the 30 volumes of case materials—totaling approximately 7,500 pages—before deciding to proceed to closing arguments.

During the hearing, representatives of the monastery repeatedly pointed out disruptions in the courtroom. Shouts were heard from members of the audience, to which the judges did not respond. It is also reported that attorneys were allotted extremely limited time—about one minute—to justify their motions. Ultimately, due to concerns regarding the court’s impartiality and what the defense considered to be gross procedural violations, representatives of the monastery decided to leave the courtroom before the hearing concluded.

Despite the denial of the appeal, the attorneys emphasized that they would continue to defend the monastery’s position in higher courts. Seventeen lawyers participated in defending the monastery’s rights and expressed their gratitude to everyone involved for their support.