During an internal audit, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine uncovered that the illegal registration of private ownership of a church was registered on the territory of a military unit in Kyiv.

The owner of the illegally registered object was a religious organization affiliated with the Orthodox Church of the moscow Patriarchate.

These unlawful acts could have caused the disclosure of details about military units and equipment deployments, opening the door for civilians to enter the military base.

The Ministry of Defence, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, acted swiftly to address legal infractions related to state registration.

The church has now been handed over to the Military Chaplaincy Service. It will be used to meet the spiritual and religious needs of military service members and their families.

The Ministry of Defence's Main Directorate for Defence Land and Funds stresses the significance of adhering to Ukrainian laws regarding freedom of conviction and religion. However, it is unacceptable to illegally register real estate on defense lands or military facilities.

The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine will continue to take measures to ensure the rule of law and protect the state's interests.