Kyiv Pechersk Lavra subject to world's largest heritage site crime

He shared his views on Espreso TV. 

“Let me remind you that in 1991, two sites in Ukraine were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the architectural complex of the Kyiv Cave Monastery and St. Sophia of Kyiv. A little before that, in 1988, the government of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic resumed the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which began to put everything in order and hold services, but this lasted for a year or two. And then the management started to cause irreparable damage to the site we know as the Ukrainian Vatican. To date, 21 buildings with a total area of over 20,000 square meters have been rebuilt. I would like to note that the entire territory of the Kyiv Cave Monastery, that is, all the premises, including the galleries of the near and far caves, both bell towers, and all the buildings, amounts to 58,000 square meters. About 30,000 square meters were transferred to the church for use. That is, today another monastery has been built in terms of area,” the former director general of the National Kyiv Cave Historical and Cultural Reserve.

Mr. Krolevets added that the owner of these new buildings is unknown, and none have been handed over to the state commission.

“In addition, several heritage sites and buildings were demolished, and several dozen houses were rebuilt, built on and disfigured externally. This is a heritage protection crime, which requires the state to bring charges against those responsible. There are articles of the Criminal Code covering this. If we calculate the damage that was done to the state, it amounts to billions of hryvnias. This crime scene must be cleared of unauthorized people who might seek to hide the traces of their crimes. Today, it is the site of the largest heritage protection crime in Ukraine, and perhaps in the world. I can't recall something else like this happening in any other country,” Mr. Krolevets said.

• On March 29, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) had to leave the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra: believers gathered on the territory of the reserve, a liturgy was held, and representatives of the patriarchate filed a lawsuit against the termination of the lease agreement. The Ministry of Culture claimed that until the Economic Court makes a decision to secure the UOC (MP)'s petition, its representatives have no legal grounds to be on the territory of the monastery.