Russia plans to regain ownership of Jerusalem historical religious sites 

Vice-Chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society Igor Ashurbeyli has confirmed that Russia is planning to regain ownership of three historical religious sites located on the Mount of Olives, RT reported on Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has already given the green light to launch measures to regain ownership of the three sites.

Ashurbeyli, vice-chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society that oversees Russian properties in the region, shared that the three sites include the Russian Orthodox Church of the Ascension, the Church of Mary Magdalene and the Russian Candle Bell Tower.

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“Currently, Russia has a historical opportunity to change the ownership status regarding these sites as Israel has started scanning all the properties that have no owners,” Ashurbeyli explained.

“If we did not have time for this now, all the properties whose owners would not be identified would be turned into Israeli properties,” he added. “Then, we will never get ownership.”

Such measures cannot happen without Putin’s approval. “Therefore, a letter was raised to President Vladimir Putin with the signature of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society Sergei Stepashin,” Ashurbeyli said.

Meanwhile, Lavrov has revealed that measures to transfer the ownership of the Alexander Nevsky Church are in progress.