The Prosecutor's Office is seeking a court order to return the Pochaiv Lavra to the state

The Ternopil Regional Prosecutor’s Office filed a lawsuit seeking to terminate the agreement for the free use of the complex of buildings at the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra and to return the property to state ownership. The agreement was signed on December 12, 2003, for a term of more than 50 years.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the defendant in the case is the religious organization Pochaiv Holy Dormition Lavra. The Kremenets-Pochaiv State Historical and Architectural Reserve, which is responsible for the day-to-day management of the state property, is acting as a third party on the plaintiff’s side.

“The grounds for the early termination of the 50-year agreement were gross violations of the terms of use and heritage protection legislation by the religious organization,” noted Lesya Huretska.

According to the representative of the prosecutor’s office, inspections revealed instances of unauthorized reconstruction and additions to architectural structures.

Specifically, these include:

• the demolition of interior walls in the monks’ cells and the bishop’s residence;
• the creation of new passageways;
• carrying out unauthorized facade and finishing work;
• the application of new murals without approval from the Ministry of Culture.

The prosecutor’s office believes that such actions pose a threat of destruction to a monument of national significance and the loss of its authenticity.

“Since these actions pose a threat of destruction and loss of authenticity to a monument of national significance, and the protection of cultural heritage is the state’s responsibility, the prosecutor’s office demands that the property be returned to state use and that the illegal work be halted,” explained Guretska.

A lawsuit seeking termination of the agreement and the return of state property was filed on November 2, 2026. The Commercial Court has already opened proceedings in the case.

As reported by Ukrinform, a commission from the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy previously uncovered a number of violations during an inspection of the preservation of state property at the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra in the Ternopil region. The complex of buildings is used free of charge by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP).

This was reported by Lesya Huretska, head of the Information Policy Department of the Ternopil Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

As a reminder, on July 27, the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience (DESC) issued an order to the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra to rectify violations of legislation regarding freedom of conscience and the activities of religious organizations.