On 12 May 2026, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the legal counsel of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, achpriest Mykyta Chekman, reported that workers of the Reserve had broken the locks and entered the Conception of Saint Anne Church at the Far Caves, as conveyed by the Information and Educational Department of the UOC.

“These actions give rise to serious concern, since they are being carried out despite the fact that court proceedings between the Monastery and the Reserve regarding the use of the Lavra’s buildings and premises are still ongoing, and no final judicial decisions in the relevant disputes have yet been rendered.

Any unilateral actions aimed at altering the actual use of churches and premises while the legal dispute remains unresolved must be undertaken exclusively in the manner and within the limits prescribed by law, with due observance of the principle of the rule of law and respect for the judicial process,” the legal representative noted.

Father Mykyta remarked:

“Taking advantage of the absence of people in the premises, they break the locks, seize the church, and effectively deprive the Monastery of access to the holy site. Only afterwards, after some time has passed, do they send letters to the Monastery claiming that the monks had supposedly removed their belongings voluntarily,”

According to the lawyer, such actions not only contradict the principles of a state governed by law and respect for the judicial process, but also offend the religious feelings of the faithful, for whom the holy sites of the Lavra possess special spiritual significance.