The prosecutor's office is defending the state's right to one of the most valuable architectural monuments in the region — the Holy Archangel Michael Church in Krasnokutsk. Built between 1873 and 1880, this five-domed church with a two-tiered bell tower and a five-sided apse is a true gem of Slobozhanshchyna.

It has the status of a monument of urban planning and architecture of local significance and is under state protection.

However, the prosecutor's office established that in 2005, the church was unlawfully removed from state ownership. A decision by the executive committee of the Krasnokutsk village council formalized the right of collective ownership of the church building by the religious community. Based on this, the community received a certificate of ownership, and subsequently, the data was entered into the state register of property rights.

Such actions were contrary to the law from the outset: in February 2005, the Law of Ukraine "On the Temporary Prohibition of the Privatization of Cultural Heritage" came into effect, which explicitly prohibits the privatization of cultural heritage monuments until the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approves a list of monuments that are not subject to privatization. These measures were aimed at preserving the historical and cultural heritage of the country.

In order to restore the violated rights, the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office has filed a lawsuit requesting:

— to partially declare the certificate of collective ownership invalid;

— to remove obstacles to the exercise of state ownership and use of the monument by returning the Holy Archangel Michael Church.

The Economic Court of Kharkiv Region has already opened proceedings in the case, and the review is ongoing.