The Minister of Culture of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko said that the monks of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church can remain in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, but only if they transfer to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. RIA Novosti writes about this with reference to the speech of the official in the telethon.

Tkachenko pointed out that the question of the eviction of the monks is not being raised, "we are talking about the return of property belonging to the state."

The head of the department added: “If anyone should leave, then these are the leaders who have been illegally building on UNESCO territory for many years.”

When asked by a journalist about where to "disappear" to the monks of the UOC, Tkachenko said that they could go to the OCU.

Earlier, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve ordered the monks of the canonical UOC to leave it before March 29.

On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sent appeals to UN Secretary General António Guterres and OSCE Chairman-in-Office Buyar Osmani in connection with the persecution of the canonical Orthodox Church that is taking place in Ukraine.

The Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is one of the first monasteries of Kievan Rus. One of the most important Orthodox shrines, the third lot of the Virgin.
The Caves Monastery was founded in 1051 under Yaroslav the Wise by monk Anthony, a native of Lyubech, and his disciple Theodosius. Prince Svyatoslav II Yaroslavich presented the monastery with a plateau above the caves, where stone temples, decorated with paintings, cells, fortress towers and other buildings were later rebuilt.

The names of the chronicler Nestor, the author of The Tale of Bygone Years, and the artist Alipius are associated with the monastery.

The relics of Orthodox saints rest in the Near and Far Caves of the Lavra, and there are burials of lay people in the Lavra, among them the grave of Pyotr Stolypin.