“Written off to war”: In Chernihiv region, the state cannot restore an 11th-century church

The ancient St. Michael’s Church (Yuriev Church) in the town of Oster, Chernihiv region, built in the 11th century and attributed to Princes Vladimir Monomakh and Yuri Dolgoruky, is gradually falling into disrepair due to the state’s inability to carry out proper restoration work. As of 2025, local representatives of the Department of Culture at the Chernihiv Regional State Administration cite the war as one of the reasons why restoration is impossible. However, judging by data from open sources, the state did not particularly work on preserving this architectural monument of national importance even before 2022. This was reported by the regional publication CheLine.

It is reported that scientists are studying the condition of the 11th-century Yuriev Church (named after Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, who took care of the temple, ed.) in the city of Oster, Chernihiv region, which was destroyed as a result of military actions in 2022. According to the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, conservation work was carried out to preserve this unique monument of the Old Russian period. Archaeologists cleared the northern part of Yuriev Church, damaged in 2022, where they found numerous fragments of 11th-12th century frescoes and fragments of “golosnik” pots. Specialists carried out geodetic measurements and created a photogrammetric model. The architectural structures were preserved with geotextile covering and loose soil.

It should be noted that the state’s inability to preserve temple monuments of national importance in the Chernihiv region, unfortunately, is becoming increasingly apparent. Earlier, we reported that in the village of Sedniv in the Chernihiv region, the St. George Church, which is under the jurisdiction of the OCU, is being destroyed as a result of the destructive effects of precipitation. The building has the status of a monument of national importance, but the restoration work, which began in 2008, was suspended and has not been resumed since then. According to the clergyman of the church, Timon Blynets, no decisions or actions have been taken by the state. The building remains in a state of disrepair.