Culture Ministry’s Commission Records Criminal Destruction Of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Book Warehouse By UOC MP

The commission of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy recorded the criminal destruction by representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) of the premises of the Book Warehouse (building No. 112) of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko announced this on the Telegram channel, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

Tkachenko reported that on April 12, the Commission of the Ministry of Culture for the acceptance and transfer of property of the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" was not without obstacles, but still managed to get to building No. 112.

"The commission of the Ministry recorded the emergency condition of the premises, unsuitable for operation and showing obvious signs of destruction. Based on the results of the inspection of the destroyed premises, we record a statement of a crime under Article 298 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine "Illegal conduct of search works on an object of archaeological heritage, destruction, destruction or damage to cultural heritage objects," he said.

The Minister noted that the premises of the Book Warehouse were sealed by representatives of the reserve. Investigators carry out the necessary procedural actions from the inspection of the premises to the testimony of witnesses.

Tkachenko noted that the Book Warehouse was built in the second half of the 19th century and is a monument of architecture and town planning of local importance.

"For over 100 years, building No. 112 was an integral element of the spatial composition of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, an example of public and social architecture in the style of classicism, the project of which was executed by the famous architect P.I. Sparro. The UOC MP needed only a few dozen to transform the premises to what you see in the photo," he wrote.

The Minister added to his message a photo of the consequences of the UOC MP's use of the Book Warehouse of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on March 30, the Cabinet of Ministers canceled the order of the government headed by Mykola Azarov during the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, on transferring the buildings and structures of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate for free use.

The National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" terminated the contract of free use of the men's monastery with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, the representatives of the UOC MP had to leave the territory of the monastery by March 29.

The commission of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy for the acceptance and transfer of state property of the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" could not start work on March 30 due to obstruction by the UOC MP, the reserve filed a report with the police.

The Ministry of Culture has filed a lawsuit against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP) in the management of state property in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.