ROC spokesperson Metropolitan Kliment made the statement to Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne, in response to recent media reports about an unaccredited Russian school being based on the monastery grounds. He claimed that only the Kyiv Seminary operates on the premises, claiming that no other education institution was established by the ROC Synod or otherwise officially registered.
“It’s impossible to understand what exactly is being claimed,” Metropolitan Kliment said.
“Were there any specific names or precise locations? Everything was hidden, filmed with a hidden camera in unknown rooms [referring to the original report by Slidstvo.Info]. We don’t know where those rooms were or with whom they spoke. All we saw was boys entering [monastery grounds]. Perhaps they just came in—thousands of people visit the monastery every day.”
Slidstvo.Info published its exposé on Jan. 6, revealing that an unlicensed school is operating inside the Holosiivska Pustyn monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church in Kyiv. There, children are taught with Soviet textbooks, shown Russian films, and made to sing Russian songs.
The school’s director called it a “family club,” but reporters found it operates like a full-fledged school: classes are held five days a week, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with an after-school program. While students are formally registered at licensed Ukrainian schools, they do not actually attend them.
The school reportedly serves more than 60 children — from first through ninth grades — and employs 16 teachers. Parents claim instruction is primarily in Ukrainian, although teachers admitted to using Russian extensively in class.
Education Minister Oksen Lisovyi has ordered inspections following the release of the report. Ukraine’s SBU security service later announced its own probe of the alleged Russian school.