Elensky: We are inspecting Pochaiv Lavra due to a large number of appeals
In the event that the Pochaiv Lavra's ties with the Russian Orthodox Church are confirmed, officials will issue demands to the monastery, granting 30 days for their fulfillment.
On June 24, a specially created expert group began examining documents and testimonies related to the activities of the Pochaev Holy Dormition Lavra. The investigation is intended to confirm or refute the monastery's affiliation with the Russian Orthodox Church. This was reported by Ukrinform.
The head of the SSetnrfc Viktor Yelensky explained that the agency conducts such investigations when it receives substantiated claims regarding a particular structure's ties to the Moscow Patriarchate. "After receiving a large number of appeals and letters, we also decided to initiate an inspection of the activities of the Pochaev Holy Dormition Lavra."
Specialists are examining materials that may indicate foreign influence and have promised to present the results to the public. "This concerns the review of documents related to the activities of the Pochaev Lavra that may confirm or refute its connection with the ROC," the head of the agency clarified. "As a rule, such an investigation takes slightly more than a month; in complex cases, around two months."
If the experts find signs of affiliation, the SSETNRFC will issue the organization a directive to remedy the violations. The religious community will be given 30 days to comply with the requirements.
Previously, the SSETNRFC had already recognized the Kyiv Metropolitanate of the UOC and the Pokrovsky Holosiivsky Monastery as affiliated, after which officials filed lawsuits seeking their liquidation. The legal proceedings against the Kyiv Metropolitanate have been ongoing since August 2025. At the same time, an inspection of the Odessa Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia found no ties to Moscow.
As the UOJ reported, the Kyiv Metropolitanate is seeking through the courts to have the SSETNRFC liquidated.
